This War of Mine
by Sivam
Summary: Destroying the Androids and bringing peace to his timeline, sixteen-year-old Son Gohan finds himself waking up on Remnant. Sick of fighting, he desires a life of peace, but destiny has other plans. The shadow of a terrible evil has followed him to Remnant. Can he truly live up to his father's legacy? Ft. Gohan. Future Timeline AU.
1. A Pyrrhic Victory

**A/N**

 **Sup. I'm back at it again with a new story.**

 **Thanks to Xman321 and dmoose18 for giving me the motivation for posting this story. You guys rock!**

 **Anyway, on with the show!**

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 **(EDIT 25/06/2017) UPDATED**

 **Hi guys, again. Sorry just a quick update. I've remastered the chapter considering it was pretty bad when I first uploaded it in comparison to the rest of the story. Better character interactions, and better descriptions of scenes. Hope you guys like it!**

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 _Chapter One: A Pyrrhic Victory_

"Finally, it's over," the words escaped his mouth in the form of a fog.

The dark atmosphere around him settled rather ominously as the rain began to pour down around him. In a twist of fate, it was not they who had defeated him, but the other way around. They lay in pieces, broken beyond all repair and recognition. A dark scowl permeated his face as thunder circled all around him. The sound echoed off the broken city, stretching all around him.

His sea green eyes and golden blonde hair, soaked with the guilt of countless dead innocents. He hadn't managed to save a single soul in this desolate city. Buildings had crumbled, streets had been annihilated, and numerous stores lay in ruin. It was as if he were standing in the middle of Hell itself, surrounded by the flames of death, unable to extinguish them. The damage had already been done, but now, at least he could start to rebuild and make things better.

The Androids had finally been destroyed. The nightmare -for the most part- was over.

All the years of torment he had endured, ended in a single fight to the death. The eternal cycle of approaching these monsters, fighting and then escaping them by the skin of his teeth. He had finally managed to put an end to the cycle, but it had cost the planet a good majority of its population. Countless lay dead with little hope of resurrection. Killing the monsters responsible only brought moderate satisfaction, but the overwhelming sense of failure still infected every corner of his mind.

The state of the city reflected how he felt. Broken and worthless. He had failed to protect every single person in this city, and he knew there was no chance of bringing them back. The Earth would forever mourn this tragedy, and he would always remember it as his biggest trial. His father had left behind big shoes to fill, and it had taken far too long to grow into those shoes.

His hands clenched. His father would be disappointed; he couldn't save all these people. With the Earth Dragon Balls rendered useless, there was very little hope for bringing the people back to life. Just another reminder of his failures. Piccolo was dead, and that blame was placed upon himself. He couldn't find anyone else at fault for the death of his mentor. He had been angry and foolish. He thought he could fight the Androids on his own, but yet again, the Namekian warrior had sacrificed himself for a second time, to save his life.

Of course, there was always hope. The Namekian Dragon Balls were another option, but the androids had destroyed all the Briefs' work, so it would take several years for Bulma and her father to build a functioning ship capable of space travel. Even if that were to happen, the location of New Namek was unknown to them. It was not in the same place that the previous Namek was. Hope was there, but it was fleeting, almost like a pipe dream.

Gohan thought back to when his life had been abruptly turned upside down, ever since he had returned home from Namek. His life just seemed to be one fight after another. He just wanted rest, he wanted peace. He wanted the sun to shine brightly again and not have to worry about another city being destroyed. That finally seemed like it was becoming a reality, but he knew he couldn't stop training. He was the last one to defend the Earth after all, aside from Trunks.

Goku would never be revived. He had died naturally due to sickness, and the Dragon wouldn't be able to resurrect him. He could never rely on Vegeta if the Saiyan was ever revived, and the other humans wanted to live their own lives. While they would fight to protect the planet, he had to accept the reality that he had Saiyan blood, and the power that it gave him would give him the advantage over his human friends.

He had been nine when this all started, now seven years later he had ended it. He was the one person who could stand up for the people of this planet and defend them from evil, but even that had taken it's toll on him. Even now the sense of failure ate away at his conscious. Some protector he was… always arriving too late to stop the genocide.

During his fight with those two blood-thirsty Androids, he had turned the tide of the battle when he had accessed the full capabilities of his mastered Super Saiyan state. He had caught them by surprise, and with the massive power increase and energy control and had managed to push the battle to his favor, and utterly decimate the Androids. They hadn't been aware, but their arrogance and brutal nature had been the cause of their untimely demise.

He had trained for years to better himself, to perfect himself into a warrior. Not the warrior he wanted to be, but the warrior he had to be for the planet. He had to be strong, and he had to stand tall because he was the only light that the people of Earth had left.

Their last hope.

With the power of the Legendary Super Saiyan still circling around his body, he took off into the thunderous sky, his mission not yet finished. He flew to a familiar place in the Northern Mountains and touched down just outside a cave that had an eerie feel about it, but he ignored it. His mind was focused and sharpened to dangerous degrees. Android Seventeen and Eighteen wouldn't be the last of the horrors he would face. Bulma had informed him of the psychopathic nature of Dr. Gero.

He had arrived at Gero's lab, the same place that gave birth to the destructive and murderous duo. Those two were created here, and he could feel his blood start to boil as he passed several pods with different numbers on them. Android Seventeen and Android Eighteen were unmistakably the most powerful androids here by a long shot as they seemed to be the latest in the series.

He did see the pod labeled 'nineteen', but it seemed that the Android that occupied the pod was broken and missing parts.

The other pods still had Androids inside of them, but they either looked unfinished, or dormant. They were fast asleep, and harmless. Still, to Gohan an Android was a threat, but he wouldn't waste his power destroying them all one by one. He couldn't risk waking them up like that. Any spark of energy could cause a programme to set off a chain reaction. Gero was crafty, and no doubt he had multiple countermeasures set up if someone were to find his lab unattended.

Seventeen and Eighteen had the most work put into them as seen by the blue prints, and had future designs for something else that Gohan didn't bother considering. It was unimportant, seeing as he would be wiping this place off the map once he was finished here. There would be no remains, only dust and smoke. He would make sure of it.

After making his way through various doors, he found the primary source of the madness that had tormented the world for seven long years.

The master computer. How did he know of this? The Androids constantly taunted and talked about how they had destroyed their creator, Dr. Gero, but, they had also mentioned the source of Dr Gero's mad schemes. A Machine that programmed them, and guided them to do the one thing that Gohan was risking his life to prevent.

Total annihilation of humanity, as well as a mad compulsion to kill his father Goku.

But he had already passed on, so they moved on and decided to occupy themselves by destroying and hunting humanity down to the very last man. It was simply a game to them, and a nightmarish Hell for him.

They had been well on their way to achieving their goal, but thankfully he had managed to end them before they had brought mass extinction to humanity, but even after their death, it wasn't over. The source was still alive. Still toiling away, creating more nightmares, no doubt. It was a risk he wasn't willing to gamble with. Everything in this place had to _die_.

He would make sure that by destroying the Master Computer, that in effect, would destroy everything in this wretched place. It was the mastermind running everything after all. Gero had only been the caretaker.

The Master Computer had stored all Dr Gero's work, code, schematics and orders inside of it. He raised his hands, thinking back on all the horror he had experienced. The deaths of all his friends. Now it was only his mother and grandfather, Bulma and her little growing boy Trunks. He couldn't allow Trunks to experience all of this as he got older. The boy was fresh and willing to learn. There was no way Gohan was going to let Trunks go through the same horrifying childhood he had to experience.

With this, he was making a brighter future for all of them. He was freeing them from this terrifying cycle of genocide. It wasn't just the Androids, he had to cut out the cancer that created them, he had to destroy the source of the madness behind it all.

The Master computer had Gero's intentions and it was still working hard to produce something. He had to stop it, he couldn't let this nightmare continue. He would do what his father should have done to the Red Ribbon Army all those years ago, and because of his inaction, it gave birth to that hatred-filled scientist. It always seemed to come back around to Goku.

Gohan could never hate his father, the man was a hero after all, a hero that treasured the lives of many. The elder Saiyan loved to fight, and relished in every challenge that was thrown his way. He never shied away because of fear, or backed down because of overwhelming odds. No, the man would stand tall and face the fear, demanding to fight on even ground with it, and by the end, he would offer it mercy.

How could such a man be so strong, but fall to mere illness?

It seemed even the strongest heroes fall to the smallest of things.

The half-Saiyan raised his hand towards the Master computer, his eyes void of any mercy. The concept of 'mercy' had been lost on him a long time ago. With a powered shot, he charged up a blast in his hand, watching the golden attack in his hand grow brighter and larger as the surroundings of the darkened cave lit up. He fired, and the machine swallowed the blast like a hungry child.

For a moment, there was silence as the machine shut down, all lights flickering offline and dying. Gohan turned around to leave, satisfied. As he powered up to fly out of the lab, the machine thundered to life and suddenly exploded. All the surroundings were swallowed by a blinding white light. The blast had come from inside the Master computer, a last resort countermeasure.

Gohan wasn't fast enough, turning around only to find himself blinded, and engulfed by the blinding light. When the light finally died down, the entire mountain side was a smoking crater, and the world's strongest fighter, was missing as a final result. Silence dawned upon Earth, as if to mourn the sudden loss of the pure hearted half-Saiyan.

The Earth… had been saved.

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He was suspended in mid-air, floating. His clothes ravaged beyond recognition, and looking like he had been through a violent and destructive battle. From his point of view, he had just fought the androids and destroyed their point of origin. He had saved his world from the fire that continued to swallow up more of its innocent people.

The space around him was black, like he was in space. He wasn't conscious, that much was clearly obvious. He was stuck in his mind, suspended in a state of unrest and comatose. After a few moments of channeling his energy, Gohan knew he couldn't wake himself up forcibly. Unfortunately, it seemed he was going to be stuck like this until he managed to find a way out or something forcibly pulled him out.

As he floated in what seemed to be the end of the universe itself, Gohan tried to measure the time as it passed. Everytime he blinked, he could see something new, as if time was passing at the speed of light. All he could do was watch helplessly as the scenery around him shifted and changed, denying him the idea of escape.

Shortly, he could hear whispers pass by, as if someone were talking behind him. He tried to turn, but found that he had no control over his body. He wanted to turn his head, to see who was talking, and where these strange voices were coming from, but sadly, he was stuck listening to these disembodied sounds.

It was like he was floating in a void where his sub-conscious could hear the outside world, but it could only grasp brief parts of what was going on. Something was happening to his body, and he could barely piece together the words he was hearing. These voices ranged from panicked to angry, to confused… he just couldn't tell what they were talking about.

" **…Rose… vanished… blinding light… destruction,** " each word came from a different voice. It was like a puzzle but all the pieces were missing except for these few words that made up very small pieces. He couldn't understand. Was he still on Earth? Was the Android threat truly over? What was that light that seemed to place him here?

Was he dead? No, the afterlife was much different from what his father described to him. Other-world was another dimension, another plane of existence all together, but then, why was he in his mind, trapped in his subconscious? What kind of countermeasure had Gero placed inside his master computer? What could he had have done? Nothing he was hearing was making any kind of sense!

" **Salem… Thirteen… last hope… boy… understanding… power…** " once again, all these words came from different people, and from just a feeling, it felt like they were placed out of order and said in different time frames. Displaced and trapped in a void where the passage of time passed him by like driftwood in an ocean. He could do nothing but wait and listen. The last few voices sounded like they were referring to _him_.

" **Not Human… Faunas…? Something else… Alien,** " the voices became more distorted as they came and went. Gohan was having trouble processing them, but he knew that these words _had_ to be referring to him. He could feel a burning sensation, like something was crawling up his spine and into his head. Questions burned and itched at his consciousness. What was a Faunas? Who was talking? What exactly was happening to him? Were these voices responsible for trapping him inside of his mind?

" **Green vest… dangerous… In hiding.** " These voices just kept getting stranger. Gohan couldn't make sense of the words as pain started to cripple his mind. He tried to struggle and fight, but whatever was restricting his movement was slowly killing him. He wanted to cry out in agony, but even that was proving to be too difficult. Floating in a void, unable to express pain was maddening. Fortunately, the amount of pain he was feeling grew, and he felt his body return to his control.

He channeled his power, and the metaphysical cage began to collapse around him.

Opening his mouth, he screamed.

* * *

His eyes snapped open as his power exploded around him. His screams reverberated in the prison he suddenly found himself in. His lungs roared at him for relief, but his power just continued to lash out around him. His hair shifted to gold as he threw his arms out to the side. A bright golden light emitted from the box before it promptly exploded.

A shock wave ripped through the darkness as metal and various other materials were blown away. The ground below where the box had been placed had been erased from existence. The golden light pierced the darkness, lighting up the entire area for him to see. His body felt weak and frail, but he continued to push until the pain was gone. His head felt like it was about to burst.

He pushed his Super Saiyan form to its absolute maximum, waiting until his body gave out. The resounding effects of the transformation had the surrounding pillars shaking and cracking under the force. His power suddenly hit that familiar wall, and he reverted back to his base form abruptly. When he dropped out of his transformed state, the shaking subsided and he fell to his knees. His body was cold and his muscles were burning. It was as if he hadn't used them in years. He felt sick and malnourished.

The feeling only got worse as the darkness crept back into the vault-like area he now found himself occupying. He could see nothing, as the dark covered his vision completely.

He could feel the stone-cold floor, his hot breath heating the floor in front of his face. Gohan slowly but surely pushed himself to his feet. It was pitch black, aside from a few blue lights in the distance, he stood up and lit a light of energy in his hand. The bright yellow orb lit up the area around him. Now that his eyes had adjusted, and he had taken a few moments to steady himself, he was now able to properly control his energy.

He was clearly underground. The large pillars that towered around him extended straight up into the roof. As he continuously stumbled around in the dark, he turned to see another machine housing another person in the distance. He focused his energy, and to his shock, he found that her energy was fluctuating on the very precipice of death. This person seemed to be occupying a similar box he had been in.

He walked over and placed a hand on her pod. She was in a deep slumber. She had scars all over her face, like someone had taken a sharp blade and carved her face in. The extent of her injuries made his stomach turn violently. Her energy was trying to replenish itself but it was hitting a wall. It was like her soul had been ripped out of her body, but only half way…

"Who would do this to a person?" his voice was soft and filled with sorrow. As he continued to examine the girl, an unfamiliar energy signature flared behind him. Out of instinct, Gohan turned and fired a blast, old habits kicking on. The yellow blast was deflected, spiraling off and hitting one of the pillars. It took a big chuck out of the solid cement but remained stable.

Gohan looked at the person before him. The man stood there, silver hair, black suit with gold buttons, a green scarf and a walking stick. He looked at Gohan, interested and rather shocked. He walked forward in a non-threatening manner, but Gohan kept his guard up. Anyone that could deflect a blast like that had power they were hiding, and he didn't trust anyone with power like that. There wasn't anyone on Earth aside from Androids that could perform such a feat.

"I see you have finally decided to wake up," the man commented impassively. Gohan looked at the man wearily. He didn't seem threatening, and plus there was no intention to harm him here. He had gotten rather exceptional at searching people's feelings. It had been something his father had displayed when he had returned from Yardrat. Reading someone's energy signature and using it as a front for their emotions was quite difficult, but he had learned how to progressively over time.

"Who are you?" Gohan asked. Ozpin gazed at the boy, a look of wisdom and care crossing his face. Gohan could tell that this man was intelligent, and by sensing him now that he was standing in front of him, his power was a whole different story. The man was strong, he could not doubt that. Definitely not as strong as the Androids, but certainly exceeding that of any normal human by an unfathomable margin.

"Professor Ozpin," the man started with a small smile. "You may call me Ozpin, if you so desire."

Coming across people with a power level so high nowadays for Gohan was like coming across a basket of candy in the middle of nowhere. It was absurd and no one would think it would exist. He had only managed to survive so long because he had hidden away with Trunks and Bulma and trained silently. Well, that was until he learned of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber that is.

"It's been a long time since I put you in that stasis pod to keep your well-being preserved. I was beginning to lose hope that you would ever wake up," the professor stated. The half-Saiyan's eyebrows raised at the remark as he slowly turned his head to the destroyed, smoking pile of rubble that once held his body. He felt rather bad for destroying it now. Technology like that was hard to come by these days.

"How long was I asleep?" Gohan asked fearing the answer to the question. Ozpin straightened his suit before answering the question that was probably going to change the young man's life a great deal.

"Thirteen years, and a few months give or take," Ozpin replied causally. Gohan's body froze as the information slowly started to sink in. "A team under my tutelage found you in the middle of a forest filled with Grimm. They told me you had a very strange Aura when they found you, an extremely powerful one at that and decided to bring you to me instead of a regular hospital," Ozpin replied with a hint of deception in his tone. It wasn't missed by Gohan.

Gohan felt truth behind his words, but the old man seemed to be hiding information from him… why? He pushed those thoughts aside, there was something else plaguing his mind now.

" _Thirteen years?!_ " Gohan's mind was racing at speeds rivaling light. Trunks would be a young man by now, probably just turned twenty while he was still sixteen! Well, he still looked sixteen, physically that is. The thought that Trunks and Bulma were still alive seemed very likely considering all the energy signatures he was sensing from the ground above where he was, there were thousands of people just going about their business.

"I can tell you're not taking this quite well. Shall we discuss things further in my office? It is quite dark and ominous down here. I'd prefer to discuss things in a more pleasant setting," the headmaster suggested. Gohan nodded quite numbly as he followed the man silently. They made their way to the end of the room, entering an elevator. The man pressed a few buttons and the lift thundered to life.

Ozpin and Gohan took the lift into the office where he worked. The half-Saiyan briefly looked out the windows and out over a thriving city. If there was one thing he knew now, it was that this place did not look familiar at all, and he was accustomed to the locations on Earth. The air felt different, and the thousands of energy signatures he was feeling had a strange edge to them. They didn't feel like normal humans.

Even Thirteen years later there would still be signs of destruction from the androids, and there was none of that. So, he couldn't exactly understand just where he was. All this energy he was sensing; all these strong presences were enough to tell him that there were a lot of capable fighters around his location right now. He could have used that power when he was going up against the Androids. They could have been supporting him.

Perhaps not fighting them head on, but certainly provide distractions and keep the Androids from focusing solely on him. Well, it didn't quite matter anymore, he had destroyed them without any remorse, in fact he took pleasure in watching them both scream as they were vaporized by his attacks in the end. It worried him, he felt a bit like Vegeta when he thought like that. The last thing he ever wanted to do was turn into that man. Too much anger, so much desire for more power. Gohan couldn't understand it at all.

"This is the Kingdom of Vale. There are four Kingdoms over the continent. Atlas, Mistral, Vacuo and Vale. All Kingdom's have been built to keep out the Grimm, and have done so for many, many years," Ozpin explained. Gohan looked at the old professor out of the corner of his eye. Something didn't seem right here, and a sneaking suspicion was starting to become more clear inside of his head.

"How… many years exactly?" Gohan asked hesitantly. Ozpin sat down with his hot chocolate and took a sip before putting it down on the desk and looking at Gohan intently. The man studied the teenager's features carefully. Gohan suddenly felt anxious under Ozpin's careful, and intrigued gaze.

"Longer than I can remember for sure," Ozpin retorted. Gohan closed his eyes and turned back to the window he was gazing out of. The answer was clear to him now, almost as clear as day. He didn't know how it happened, or why it happened, but the moment he destroyed Gero's Master Computer something had happened, and it had landed him on a different planet.

Gohan couldn't find any sense it in. It made him angry. How was he supposed to get home now?

"Forgive my rudeness, I am the Headmaster of this Academy designed to train Huntsman and Huntresses, to protect the ever-dwindling population of our world," Ozpin elaborated. Gohan continued to look out over the city of Vale. Down in the courtyard there were kids his age, laughing and having a good time. A tinge of jealousy forced itself into his mind.

Some had distinctive animal features about them, and some where just human. He could tell them apart from the unique and different energy signatures he would sense from either specie. Just how the people of Namek felt different to humans, and how the Saiyans felt different from the others. The different species felt distinctively separated, but shared a lot of similarities.

"Protect them from what? Androids?" Gohan asked. Ozpin merely narrowed his eyes.

"...No. The Grimm."

"What are 'The Grimm'?" the half-Saiyan replied. Ozpin merely motioned towards the sky, just outside his window. In the distance, just over the ridge of a nearby mountain, a giant black bird appeared. Gohan's eyes widened dramatically as the bird tore through the skies towards the city. There was a resounding boom, and the creature burst into black smoke. "What happened?" he asked incredulously.

"The Kingdom's defences, doing what they were designed to do," Ozpin took another sip of his hot chocolate. "The Grimm are creatures of darkness, born to hunt humanity to extinction," he explained. Gohan could only shake his head. There was no doubt about it now. Either he was on a different world, or Earth had seriously done some changes over thirteen years, and he knew that it took much longer than that for changes to take place.

"None of this is what I remember," Gohan turned to face the headmaster, a look of concern on the teens face. "Forgive me if you don't believe me Sir, but I don't believe I am on the same planet as before," he finished. That certainly peaked Ozpin's interest as the man leaned back in his chair with his fingertips pressed together.

Now this interested him greatly. He would have never ruled out the possibility of the boy being from another planet. For thirteen years he had studied this boy, and he had learned a lot of things. Some of them ground breaking, and others…

 _Disturbing_.

"Yes, I had figured as much. You possess a strange Aura unlike any I have ever seen before. So raw and potent. While I didn't conclude that you were of extraterrestrial origin, I would have assumed you were something much more than an average human being," Ozpin commented with a curious glint in his eyes. Gohan could only nod carefully in response. He didn't want to give too much away. The Saiyan's didn't exactly have the best reputation.

He'd keep the fact that he was only half-human to himself for now. If he was on a different planet, he didn't need people breathing down his neck about being related to a race responsible for mass genocide. Then again, the people of Remnant might not know that, but it was better safe than sorry.

"I'm not sure how I ended up here," Gohan started to explain. Ozpin observed Gohan with an impassive, unreadable face. Gohan couldn't guess what the man was thinking, and there was a mysterious air to the headmaster that was really off-putting. The way the silver haired professor looked at him, really unnerved him. It was as if the man knew something he didn't, and that bothered the son of Goku to no end.

"You look like you are dressed to battle something," Ozpin commented, glancing at the boy's state of dress. Gohan was still wearing his shoddy clothes from his battle with the androids. A smaller, tattered and slightly ripped version of his father's GI. He had received some other ones from Master Roshi, but he felt more comfortable in his fathers than he did in those.

He liked to wear his father's old fighting clothes, because he felt like his father was watching over him somehow. It sounded silly, but he rather enjoyed the idea that his father was watching over him, constantly guiding him and protecting him from Otherworld. It gave him a sense of peace whenever he wore his Gi, as if the man's spirit and will was giving him strength.

Strangely, his clothes seemed to be in worse shape than before…

"I was," Gohan retorted, his thoughts drifting back to the battle with Androids Seventeen and Eighteen. "When you're locked in a desperate battle for the safety of humanity, you _need_ every advantage, you don't want to restrict yourself by wearing something heavy. I couldn't risk being at a disadvantage. Besides, it's not like wearing armor would do any good against the monsters I was fighting," he explained. Ozpin raised an eyebrow at the boy's recollection of his battle.

Strange thing was, he didn't look the least bit surprised. He looked more curious than anything.

"Was nobody able to stop them?" The older man asked. Gohan shook his head. Vegeta and the rest of the Z-Fighters had been unprepared, him included. They hadn't see it coming. How could they? They were slaughtered one by one, until it was only him left. It all happened so quickly. Hope had dwindled in just a few short days. Gohan hadn't felt that kind of hopelessness since they had fought against Freeza. No matter what they would throw at the Emperor of the Galaxy, he would just shrug it off.

The Androids were just a pair of blood-thirsty murderers with too much power.

Freeza was fear _incarnate_.

"The people of my world described them as a pair of vengeful gods looking to cleanse us of sin. A lot of people thought that, but they didn't know. They couldn't possibly know what those two murderers were like. Those who found out died shortly after. They were just a couple of hateful machines out to make a game out of murder," Gohan spat with venom lacing every word. Ozpin didn't react, soaking in every piece of information that Gohan shared with him. He didn't show a single sign of disbelief.

From the headmaster's perspective, the kid in front of him, no older than a first-year student had put an end to a nightmare that would have had Remnant in flames. Ozpin could tell just by the look in his eyes that he was a seasoned warrior, someone who fought for his life every single day. Someone who was forced to shoulder a burden at an age where no one should be responsible for something so important.

But yet here he was, standing right in front of him. Living proof that maybe heroes were born amidst an ocean of innocent blood.

"The fate of your world rested within your hands, and you managed to cleanse it before finding yourself here in Remnant?" Ozpin concluded. It was basically a summarization of everything he had said in their conversation. Gohan found it hard to believe that the man had sat there and not once, had he interrupted to voice his disbelief. He merely accepted every word that he had said without complaint.

It bothered Gohan that this man was so accepting.

"Yeah, that's it," Gohan sighed as his eyes drifted over towards the horizon, watching a sun setting that he knew wasn't his own. "I would like to find a way back if possible. I still have family there, but considering I've been gone for thirteen years I wouldn't count on them thinking I'm still alive. I'm betting they probably think I destroyed myself and took the Androids and their nightmare with me to the afterlife," Gohan voiced depressively. Ozpin frowned, an overwhelming sadness overshadowing him.

"What will you do now?" the headmaster asked the young man. Gohan sighed and shrugged. The weight of those words dawned on him. If he really was on another planet, then there was really nothing he could do to get home, unless this world was capable of space travel.

"Is there technology on this world capable of space travel?"

"No," Ozpin replied gravely. Gohan felt his hopes of returning home sink. After a few moments he moved back over towards Ozpin's desk and sat down on the guest chair, mirroring the headmaster. The half-Saiyan ran a hand through his slick black hair. He was exhausted, despite being in a coma for thirteen years.

"I guess I'll try and find another way home. If I can't find one then I guess I'll live the way I've always wanted to. I've been fighting for as long as I can remember. I've had enough, I just want peace now… my war is finally over," Gohan exhaled, as if a large weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders. Ozpin nodded slowly, accepting the truth of the boy's words. He could not deny or convince the boy otherwise, he didn't have the heart to do so.

"If you need, I can provide you with work here at Beacon," Ozpin started. Gohan's eyes widened slightly at the suddenness of the proposition. "We are in need of a Librarian. The last one retired recently. I can pay you for your work, and I can provide you with onsite accommodation," the elder man continued. Gohan couldn't tell if the man was serious or not. How could this man just suddenly up and offer him a job like that after everything he had just told him?

"Are… you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Gohan couldn't answer that question honestly even if he tried. Nothing about this man so far had made any sort of sense. He hadn't reacted in the way Gohan had thought he would, and so far he had seemed rather indifferent to just about everything he had said, and now he was offering him a job? This entire situation screamed shady, but he wasn't sure if he was in a position to refuse such a kind offer.

"Of course, you have been through a lot," Ozpin continued. "I have no right to ask anything of you after what you have been through. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask, that is, if you accept the offer after all," the man stated in a serious tone. Gohan waited a few moments, thinking on the prospect of living here in this… what seemed to be a school. He was going to be the school's librarian, have his accommodation provided for, and earn a salary?

And only an hour or two after waking up from a coma!

"Are you sure you want me to be the Librarian?" Gohan asked seriously, a worried, yet suspicious look in his eyes. Ozpin thought for a moment, taking another sip of his hot chocolate. He placed his mug down on the desk and gave the boy an amused smile.

"Well, there is a janitor spot open if you'd like-"

"No- no!" Gohan blurted out suddenly, causing the man's smirk to widen. "Librarian is fine!"

"Excellent. Give me a few moments to sort out the paperwork and I'll show you to your quarters."

Gohan exhaled in relief. The last thing he wanted to be doing was cleaning toilets and wiping up messes in a school cafeteria. He had always liked reading, so a librarian job sounded perfect for him, especially at his age. He could use the normalcy of this job to give him a break from the constant fighting he had been enduring for as long as he could remember.

Maybe a normal life was exactly what he needed?

* * *

 **A/N**

 **You guys still with me? Yes? Neat.**

 **Okay, some things I might need to clear up before things get messy.**

 **What Gohan has done is he has achieved what is known as a Super Saiyan Grade 4. MasekoX has a great explanation on the different levels of Super Saiyan before they were shortened to 1, 2 and 3 and blue and green, and rose and ... I'm just going to stop right there. *sigh***

 **Before there was a Super Saiyan 2 there were Super Saiyan grades. Ultra Super Saiyan is known as grade 2 and 3 I think, and a Grade 4 is a fully mastered Super Saiyan. Gohan was able to fully master the Super Saiyan during his final bout with the Androids, allowing him to fully control his power and gain a small boost in power, enough to overcome the Androids.**

 **Super Saiyan 2, when the Cell Games first debuted was known as Super Saiyan Rage or Super Saiyan Grade 5. This Gohan is nowhere close to achieving that form just yet. That will be, kind of the climax of the story, so that ain't happening for some time.**

 **As for power scaling and how strong Gohan is currently. He is nowhere close to his counterpart during the Cell Games Arc, so a bench mark would be... Gohan is a bit weaker than Vegeta when he went up against Semi-Perfect Cell. That should give everyone a clear indication of how strong he is.**

 **As for pairings. It's like I said. I suck at writing them, so unless you guys yell at me enough to make one, then I am probably going to avoid having them.** **Flirting might still happen, but I'm going to focus more on other aspects of the story, seeing as romance isn't a driving force in this story.**

 **Until next time lads, I'll see you in about a week. Maybe less if I can get round to editing the next chapter. Sucks not having a beta T_T**

 **Anybody else think that not much has happened in Volume 4 so far? I feel like Volume 4 has been full of... well... exposition and Qrow giving us backstory on everything. I feel like volume three had more...**

 **girth.**

 **I'll just see myself out.**


	2. A Mirage of Peace

**A/N: Hey everyone! Here's a new chapter for you all to enjoy. Something to keep in mind: not all chapters are going to be this long, but I am trying to make sure that each chapter has a benchmark of 10k.**

 **Alright before we jump right into the story, I have a pleasant announcement to make: dmoose18, co-author of Power Within and author of Warriors of Legend, has offered to be the editor for This War of Mine! He'll be saying hello at the end of the chapter when I get to answering some of your reviews.**

 **One last thing I forgot to mention during the pilot chapter. This story starts in RWBY Vol. 2 around episode 5 or 6.**

 **Alright, on with the story!**

* * *

Chapter Two: A Mirage of Peace

It felt too easy.

Ozpin had accepted his new role in the school as though he were simply transferring from another one. It didn't sit right with Gohan, but he couldn't really find the room to feel suspicious or the need to complain. The man had provided him with living quarters and had given him access to Beacon's systems. He was trusting...far too trusting.

The man was surrounded by an air of mystery and uncertainty, and that unnerved the young Saiyan. He had a sneaking suspicion that the Headmaster knew more about him than he realized. But in favor of keeping a peaceful life, he wouldn't ask too many questions.

Ozpin had even gone so far as to personally introduce him to a few of the more prominent staff members. Glynda Goodwitch, Peter Port, Doctor Oobleck, and Professor Peach. Rather strange and unconventional names, but Gohan simply ignored it. He held no doubts that they regarded his name the same way, considering they came from two different cultures.

Since he had started a little more than a week ago, things had been running quite smoothly. The hybrid Saiyan was settled into his quarters, which were more than enough for his needs. He was given access to the library, and administration privileges surrounding Beacon's literature. More importantly, there were no androids to torment him. Instead, he was surrounded by people of his own age, studying and running around laughing together like they should be.

He hoped that none of them would ever have to deal with what he had, the horrors that plagued his nightmares.

Phantoms of Gero's mechanical monsters would appear constantly in his dreams, reminding him of what he'd lost, and exactly who was responsible for it. Even in death, the terrifying duo refused to leave him alone. Death and destruction were all that they left in their wake. He watched them laugh with those unforgettable sadistic grins as he unleashed hell on them in his dreams. He would keep on attacking until they were nothing but a pile of scrap metal.

But things were looking up. Those dreams were becoming less frequent, and he was starting to enjoy life on Remnant. He was rather content with his current arrangement, especially since he didn't have to fight anymore. Given that he was at a combat school, he enjoyed watching the students test their skills against one another. However, that was for entertainment and training, nothing like the life-threatening battles he'd engaged in on a daily basis before.

"Excuse me," a quiet voice broke him from his reverie, causing him to look up from his desk. His workstation was positioned near the entrance to the library, and he was currently leaning back on a swivel chair with his feet upon the desk, leafing through the pages of _The History of Remnant_. It was an enjoyable read, but it seemed that someone with a certain black bow required his attention.

"Hi there, how can I help you?" Gohan asked. The girl placed a few books on the counter.

"I'd like to take these books out," she spoke with an ever-present neutral expression. Gohan liked to think he was good at reading people, and she seemed rather… feline to him. He had read up on the conflict between humans and faunus, but he still couldn't understand where all the prejudice and hate came from.

The wars that the two races had in the past were controversial at best and seemed to lack meaning behind them, apart from both sides disliking the way the other treated them. Which was fair, but in Gohan's opinion, wasn't grounds for total war.

Gohan nodded as he took the books and scanned them through the system. It was a rather automatic action for him now, he'd gotten the hang of it during his first few days. At this point, he was quite proficient with figuring out how to use new pieces of technology, which probably came from hanging around Bulma so much after his father's death.

He looked down at the books. _Criminal Psychology_ , _History of Huntsman and Grimm_ , and… what was that slipped in between the two? _Ninjas of Love Volume 4_? Gohan understood what that certain book was about, considering that he'd read the first one. It wasn't exactly his cup of tea, so to speak, so he decided against reading the next couple of books. Raising his curious gaze to the girl, he found her to be blushing lightly with a dangerous look in her eyes.

"Don't judge," she growled, glaring at the Saiyan. Gohan raised his hands in a motion of surrender.

"I-I'm not! To each their own!" Gohan hastily denied, looking a little flustered. She scowled and swiped the books out of the young librarian's hands once he was done scanning them to her account. Apparently, her name was Blake Belladonna. Good to know for future reference. She left the line quickly, leaving Gohan with a little sweat drop on his brow.

"She's kind of weird. Very introverted if you ask me," another boy commented, approaching Gohan and laying down a couple of comic books on the desk. The newcomer was blonde and had very prominent blue eyes along with a friendly smile, which Gohan returned

"Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you," the boy greeted.

"I'm Gohan, resident librarian," he explained, to which Jaune nodded and gave another friendly smile.

"Ah, you must be the new staff member Professor Goodwitch told us about. I'm the leader of Team JNPR, and Blake is a member of Team RWBY," Jaune clarified as Gohan scanned his comic books, nodding in understanding.

"I've heard quite a lot of rumors about both of your teams. From what I know, RWBY has a fifteen-year-old leader, and your team has a celebrity on it. Although, I don't really know who they are," Gohan said as he handed Jaune back his books. The blonde decided to stay for a little bit of a chat considering there was no one waiting behind him.

"Oh yeah, Ruby Rose is the leader of team RWBY. I know, pretty ironic that the team is basically named after her, but I guess it works. I didn't get team JAUNE because apparently they need to be color based," Jaune sighed and chuckled weakly. He was clearly joking, trying awkwardly to break the ice.

"Anyway, the celebrity you were talking about is my partner, Pyrrha Nikos. You've probably seen her face on boxes of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes. That's how I recognized her," Jaune said proudly, causing the Saiyan to laugh in a nervous manner. Was that something to take pride in? It might have been a cultural difference, but he was sure that being on a cereal box wasn't too big of an achievement.

"Yeah… must be her alright…" Gohan lied. He had never touched that brand of cereal and didn't even know what it was. However, Jaune seemed to assume that Gohan did, so the Saiyan hybrid just sort of rolled with it.

"She's a four-time tournament champion from Mistral! Did you know that? Of course, you would already know that, otherwise you wouldn't know her," he exclaimed. Gohan had a sheepish expression on his face. This boy… wasn't so bright, was he?

"Yeah sure, she must be really strong. You're lucky to have someone like her on your team." Seriously, he was lucky. In fact, that word wouldn't even begin to describe just how fortunate he was. If this guy had some champion for his partner, Gohan could tell there was a clear unbalance between their skill levels.

On the bright side, he could sense that Jaune had mountains of untapped potential and quite a lot of ki to boot. He wondered if the boy knew that…

"Well, I've got to get to class. Don't want to be late for combat training… I definitely need it," Jaune bid him farewell and hurried off, leaving the lonely Saiyan librarian to his own devices. Gohan watched the boy march away with the books in his hands, looking tall and confident. He chuckled to himself a bit.

"Nice guy…"

* * *

He wasn't going to lie; his new life was really starting to grow on him.

Gohan enjoyed the brief conversations that he would have with the students. It was like being in a real school for once. The awkward teens and the general atmosphere was a welcoming change from fighting for his life every day to ensure a better future for his entire race and home world.

From what he'd seen, his original assessment of Jaune Arc was correct. The boy couldn't be any more awkward if he tried, but Gohan still enjoyed his personality. He seemed friendly enough, and Gohan's brief encounters with him gave the Saiyan a good insight into what kind of person he was.

Putting the fact that he was at a high-intensity combat school aside, Gohan found his position to be quite peaceful and relaxing. He'd been here a little over a fortnight and people came and went, talked to him briefly before moving on. It was refreshing to know that his conversations wouldn't involve discussing battle strategies on how to kill a powerful pair on androids.

But still… there was that itch.

It was growing constantly and had become more noticeable over the past few days.

Soon it became apparent that Gohan was beginning to miss fighting. While he wasn't a fan of the death matches, he missed the excitement of a good spar. He liked the idea of fighting for sport and entertainment more than fighting to kill and destroy for the sake of the world. It was something his father managed to balance quite well.

Son Goku had that uniquely Saiyan drive to improve himself and always seek out the next challenge. He couldn't go long without training; it was just a part of who the man was. It didn't matter if he was sick, injured, or even dead. Goku would always be training to improve himself so that he could meet the next challenge head on. It was only depressing to think about how the man's story ended.

Lying in his bed, choking on his own blood, dying from a disease for which there was no cure. Gohan couldn't bear to relive the memory of it all over again. It had been scarring enough being told that Piccolo had killed both Raditz and his father at the same time when he was four, but it was another thing watching the man he admired die in such a painful way, with no hope of stopping it.

Gohan never had the same drive as his father, but that wasn't to say he didn't like fighting. After Goku died, he'd spent most of his time at home studying like his mother wanted. It wasn't until the Androids came that he resumed his training, much to his mother's ire.

Realistically, there was no choice in the matter. He was forced to train and better himself out of the need to fight the Androids on an almost daily basis. To combat the terrifyingly strong pair of murderous machines he had to improve by leaps and bounds in an incredibly short amount of time. There was some silver lining to it, though.

Coaching and training young Trunks back on Earth tended to be the highlights of his days, and for every success that Trunks had, he felt even better about himself. He would feel accomplished, knowing that someday… if he were to fall, Trunks would be there to take up the mantle.

It felt like he was truly making a difference when he passed his knowledge on to someone else, and that was a feeling he missed as well.

Anyway, while it was true that he was absurdly strong for his age, he didn't like to actively seek challenges and bloodthirsty battles like his father or Vegeta. However, his Saiyan blood did yearn for an occasional battle or spar.

Which is why later that day, Gohan found himself walking towards the arena where Glynda conducted her usual combat classes with the students of Beacon. It was suited for about four to eight participants, although it looked like it could possibly shift and change size depending on preference.

What the Saiyan found more interesting was that in the middle of the empty arena, there stood a girl practicing her hand-to-hand combat on an invisible opponent. It was quite early in the morning, but she was up sweating and training. Her long blonde hair flowed down her back in an unruly yet stylish fashion, and she was dressed in a black sports bra along with some sweat pants.

The way she practiced made her seem like a brawler. Her training revolved around boxing and kickboxing from what Gohan could see. She had multiple flaws, and let her body weight account for her swings. However, if she had the right training she could really be something dangerous. The talent and mindset were clearly present.

"You know, if you keep swinging like that you're going to hurt yourself," Gohan pointed out, strolling casually into the arena. To his amusement, the girl almost jumped out of her skin. She turned to him and scowled; clearly annoyed that she had been interrupted.

"What the hell?! Do you like sneaking up on people like that?" she growled, a threatening tone to her voice. Gohan held up his hands apologetically.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! I was just trying to point out that your form might get you injured if you keep training like that," Gohan apologized sheepishly, to which the girl simply rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Like you'd know anything. And yeah, I've been told that before, but it's the only way I can think of to account for the recoil on my weapons," she dismissed easily. Gohan raised an eyebrow at this.

"Weapons?" he asked. She raised an eyebrow.

"My weapon, Ember Celica. They're shotgun gauntlets," she explained while motioning toward a pair of yellow bracelets that were seated off to the side next to a pile of clothes, which Gohan could only assume was her school uniform. Now it made sense why she seemed to be throwing her weight around. She needed to account for her weapons input in her fighting style. While it made sense, Gohan could still see flaws in it.

"Still seems counterproductive if you ask me. You could pull a muscle if you keep at it like that," Gohan advised, though it only seemed to anger her. He didn't have to be good at reading people to notice the sudden change of color in her eyes from a friendly lilac to a dark, blood red.

"If you know so much, smart-ass, why don't you come over here and prove it. Cause it sounds to me like you're just blowing hot air!" she goaded, causing Gohan to sigh. This girl was quite aggressive, and it reminded him of Vegeta. Always out to prove himself to anyone and everyone.

May the Prince of all Saiyans rest in peace.

Gohan shrugged nonchalantly and stepped into the arena to face the seemingly enraged blonde female. He knew that he was miles above her in terms of just about everything, but might as well humor her. She was training to become a Huntress, and from what he had been hearing it was a big deal. Protectors of Humanity's future and what not. If that was the case, she'd need to be at her best, and Gohan would be happy to provide her with a goal to reach for.

Without warning, she charged him head on. She wasn't wearing her weapons, so he knew she was going to be rather sloppy. To Gohan, it looked like she was moving in slow motion. He was so accustomed to anticipating the movements of 17 and 18 that his reflexes and reaction time were far above any standard of normalcy, even for a Saiyan.

He easily caught her first punches and pushed her off balance. She stumbled backward, which only seemed to annoy her more, her eyes burning even brighter with determination. He sensed an incredible leap in power, and he prepared for the next attack. She was packing a whole lot of strength behind her blows, but with no real speed.

It was rather impressive. The girl herself seemed to be incredibly strong, but her lack of agility was clearly inhibiting her ability to fight effectively. She was so focused on simply hitting him that he saw through all her predictable attacks and movement patterns. Gohan batted away just about every punch she threw and stepped aside with blinding speed when she went for a kick.

"Why don't you just stay still?!" she yelled in frustration. Gohan decided this had gone on long enough. With a well-placed punch to the gut, the girl's eyes reverted from red to lilac. She was sent flying backward, halfway across the arena. The girl hit the ground hard, blinking and breathing heavily while looking at the ceiling.

"I didn't expect that," she stated honestly. While she was getting over her shock, Gohan was more interested how she wasn't damaged in the slightest. He had put a moderate amount of power into that hit and she seemed relatively unfazed. What was even more interesting was as she was getting back up to her feet, her power skyrocketed; her hair lit aflame just like a Super Saiyan. He was so stunned that he momentarily forgot they were still sparring.

Gohan caught the flying fist aimed directly at his face. As the hit connected with his palm, the ground beneath and behind them cracked slightly under the pressure being exerted. Gohan held her hand in place as her power dropped back to normal levels, her hair ceasing to glow as well. She pulled her hand away, then took a few steps back, seemingly dazed and confused

The girl couldn't understand…she'd been using her semblance to its full capability just then. He didn't even flinch! He had taken her punch head on and caught it!

He _caught_ it!

And he didn't even look remotely damaged from it either!

Just what was he? Clearly, he wasn't normal, not by a long shot. She'd been able to hit Junior so hard that he'd flown out a window, and he was a grown man! How had this boy just blocked her attack, empowered by the damage she took in with her semblance!?

She felt so… powerless…vulnerable almost.

"Not even Dad or Uncle Qrow have managed to block something like that… Who are you?" she asked curiously.

"My name's Gohan, I'm new around here." Her face scrunched up in disdain. To be honest, she was expecting something a bit cooler. She'd heard of the name before, Professor Goodwitch had informed all the students of the new librarian. Wait...was she just beaten by a bookworm?!

"I recognize that name, you're the new librarian, right? That's kinda anti-climactic. I was expecting you to be a cool transfer student. Blake told us that you laughed at her when she brought her books to you," she scowled, causing Gohan to sigh.

"I didn't laugh. I was just rather… amused by her choice of reading material," he explained. The girl stared at him seriously for a few seconds before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Yeah, her reading material is a little saucy. I'm Yang, by the way, Blake's partner. I'm on Team RWBY." Gohan smiled, she was quite friendly when she wasn't trying to knock him out.

"You're part of RWBY? I've heard a bit about them from Jaune. Nice guy, he says you're the best first-year team," Gohan praised. The blonde chuckled as she flexed her arms with a cheesy grin.

"Yeah… we get that a lot. My sister is an awesome leader! We're going to be the best team in Beacon someday," Yang confirmed. The Saiyan laughed alongside Yang for a bit. It was a fun and light-hearted exchange. In fact, this was the longest he'd ever held a conversation with somebody at Beacon, aside from Ozpin and some of the teachers of course. Most of the other students just saw him as perhaps another student or an unimportant facility member.

"Soooo… sorry about being so hostile, I've been having some trouble with my partner lately. She's a bit… fixated on some things," the fiery blonde explained. It was obvious she didn't want to delve into that topic, so she kept it brief and concise. Gohan didn't mind, he wasn't looking to pry into personal business.

"Ah don't worry. You wouldn't have really hurt me anyway," he stated with a smirk, to which Yang laughed.

"I'll say! Nobody has ever managed to block one of my punches when I'm using my semblance. You must have a lot of aura to be able to stand up to that," she complemented, causing Gohan to chuckle.

"Oh, I don't have aura, I use ki. It's quite different," Gohan explained. Yang was rather taken aback by this, it didn't sound familiar at all.

"Ki? I've never heard of that before, what is it?" she asked, genuinely curious. The boy in front of her had to have an aura, it would simply be impossible if he didn't. Everything had an aura except the Grimm, that was elementary stuff. Why was he calling it ki, though? The word didn't even sound like it was from the same language.

To her surprise, Gohan held up a hand and summoned a ball of yellow energy. The headstrong brawler's eyes were suddenly wide with wonder and amazement. All of her previous thoughts about the boy were instantly forgotten. She hadn't seen anything like this before, and it intrigued her immensely. Whatever this was, it surely wasn't aura. Nobody could be able to manipulate it like that.

Well...unless it was some fancy trick. But that thought quickly vanished when he fired it off like a cannon, zipping past her and creating a smoldering black hole in the floor behind her. That was more than enough to convince her that it was something else.

Maybe it was his semblance?

"Ki is life energy," the hybrid began to explain. "It resides within every living being, and everyone has the capacity to use it and control it through the right training. My mentor taught me when I was just four years old, and I have been fighting with it ever since." After hearing this, Yang was now thoroughly invested into learning more.

Maybe he really was telling the truth.

Maybe it wasn't his semblance after all.

"So… what's the difference between aura and ki?" she asked. Gohan placed a hand on his chin in thought. While he didn't know too much about the more complicated aspects of aura, he had read up on it a little bit during his free time in the library.

"From my knowledge, ki and aura are different because aura comes from a response of the soul. Ki is the channeling of pure life energy that your body creates, and using it in any way you wish. I don't think you can manipulate aura like you can with ki," Gohan explained as he tossed another ball of energy from hand to hand before it dissipated. He wasn't sure about the specifics regarding aura, but from what he had read, it was like a shield that your soul provided.

"Interesting...how come I've never heard of anyone else using it before? Using ki against the Grimm would be very effective from what I can see," Yang questioned with a confused expression, as she glanced towards the smoking hole behind her. Taking a closer look at it, she could see that the tiles had been completely obliterated, and the remains around it were either burnt or melted completely.

Seriously, how was something like ki not used by all hunters?

"Without proper training, ki can do more harm than good. You need the right teacher. I suppose ki is just too dangerous. If you overuse it, you can end up killing yourself," the Saiyan warned seriously. While he guessed that there were at least a few people on Remnant who knew of ki and its abilities, being able to teach it effectively was another matter.

Ki wasn't just something you could pick up and learn as a hobby. It took dedication, hard work, blood, sweat, tears, and absolute determination to use. He remembered teaching Trunks the basics. The kid had them down in no time due to his natural talent. The boy had the blood of a Saiyan warrior inside of him, and so did Gohan.

Saiyans picked up fighting quite easily, and ki seemed to factor into that. He had heard stories of the days that Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien, struggled and clawed with tooth and nail to get where they were before the Androids ruthlessly put an end to their lives.

"Ah… I see. Well you seem capable, can you teach me how to use it?" she asked. She seemed chirpy about it, despite what he had told her. While he wasn't against teaching her or anyone else how to use ki, he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. He didn't really know these people that well. It couldn't hurt though, they had been nice enough to him so far. He would teach those who were willing.

"I guess I could, no skin off my bones... I don't fight much anymore, but if you want to learn I'd be happy to teach you. Though fair warning, you can only get stronger by pushing yourself to your very limits," Gohan warned with a small grin, to which the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Isn't that a given? 'No pain no gain' as the saying goes," she said while chuckling in amusement. Gohan laughed as well, she certainly had the right attitude.

"Well I guess you're right, but once you learn how to use your ki, your limit to your potential is limitless. You could grow strong enough to flatten mountains and reshape landscapes!" Gohan exclaimed. Yang's eyes widened considerably.

"You… you're kidding, right?" Her expression morphed into one of disbelief, causing the Saiyan to chortle a small bit. He might as well tell her what she's in for. Regardless of if she believed him or not, she'd learn just how destructive it was if she decided to train using it.

" _Well… you could do much more than that, but I wouldn't want to freak her out or anything,_ " the hybrid thought in his amusement.

"I wouldn't go around destroying mountains just for the sake of doing so, I'm just using it as a comparison. Trust me, there are people out there that will make the Grimm look like fluffy house pets." Gohan's laughter grew, the look on the blonde's face was priceless.

She grew up being taught that Grimm was mankind's sworn mortal enemy, and now this sixteen-year-old kid was saying they weren't even the real threat! She couldn't tell if she was dreaming, or if the guy in front of her was insane! She had to be dreaming...right?

"Am I dreaming right now? Because I can't tell whether you're just crazy, or just insane," Yang said honestly. However, the younger fighter waved her off. It seemed she was the type of girl that believed by seeing. She would learn in due time.

"Well, if I can't convince you, I guess you're just going to have to wait and see for yourself," he said. Yang looked unconvinced, but nodded nonetheless. Then suddenly, something occurred to her.

"Wait… if ki works differently than aura, I would assume the way to learn how to unlock it is different?" she asked, to which Gohan nodded in confirmation.

"Yep! You have to bring your ki out yourself." Gohan sat down to demonstrate, crossing his legs and bringing his hands to his chest, cupping them like a bowl. A small glowing warm light emitted itself from the middle of his hands, floating like a small firefly. Wanting to see it up close, Yang walked over to sit down in front of him with her own legs crossed.

"Unlike aura where you can have someone unlock it for you, with ki you can only do it yourself. I don't know how exactly to explain it, but it's like a warm feeling in the center of your body. You just grasp it, and then… bring it out," Gohan explained as best he could, using actions to mirror his words. As he finished, the ball expanded into the size of a large tennis ball. Yang gasped as her eyes zoned in on the energy.

She could feel the raw power and warmth radiating from it. This… was amazing, unlike anything she had ever seen in her life. This right here… it was pure energy! Gohan's ki, part of his life force in physical form...

And just like that, it vanished, heading right back into the user. Gohan smiled and gestured for her to try it. She wasn't sure if she could do something like that. Granted she had never tried before, but it didn't look like something that she would be able to pick up easily.

"It might take a while, so don't be discouraged if you fail on the first few tries. Although, since you're a fighter, you should be quite in tune with your aura and what not. I'm not sure if it will help, but I would wager that you'd have a much better chance than anyone else at this," Gohan commented as he watched her first attempt.

Yang mirrored what the boy in front of her had been doing, trying her hardest to follow his advice. After a while of failure, she sighed. She didn't even really know what she was supposed to be doing. Sure, Gohan had told her in words, but it all was so confusing! Reaching deep inside one's self sounded much more complicated than he'd made it look...and sort of dirty, but she wasn't going to say that.

"Are you sure you're not pulling my leg and that's just your semblance?" Yang deadpanned. Gohan shook his head in denial.

"I swear I'm telling the truth. Why would I lie to you?" he asked, looking rather insulted. The brawler just rolled her eyes. She couldn't think of a reason why a person she'd just met would lie about something like this, especially when said stranger had shown her things that she had never seen before.

Ew, that sounded dirty too, didn't it? What was wrong with her today?

" _Get your mind out of the gutter Xiao Long,_ " she scolded herself in her thoughts.

"Never mind…" She resumed doing what she was doing before, with Gohan watching patiently. After a while, she started to feel something. Well...by 'a while', she meant about an hour of just sitting quietly, something that she had to admit was very out of character for her. This would be more up Blake's alley.

Nevertheless, she was always open to trying new things. If this turned out to be a hoax, then she'd do her best to kick Gohan's teeth in, because she didn't like being lied to. But there was something… she could feel it...a warmth from within her. Every time she reached for it, she found that it had slipped from her grasp. She'd become so intent on catching it that she'd forgotten Gohan was still there.

Finally, she caught hold of it, and a tiny speck of light appeared in her cupped hands. It was incredibly small, but it was there. She couldn't believe it, she'd done it! And so quickly as well! She knew that Gohan had said things like this took a while, but it seemed like she was more in tune with her power than she had realized.

"People that fight with their body are generally more in tune with their ki, mostly without recognizing it. I saw that Ren guy from Team JNPR fight earlier in the week, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could get the basics down quicker than you did," Gohan commented. After a moment of thought, Yang finally looked up and noticed what the boy was doing.

"Are you floating!?" Yang gasped. He chuckled at her tone. She couldn't possibly get any more surprised could she?

"Yeah, well technically I'm flying. You can do it with ki, and it'll actually be the next step of your training," he explained. Yang was over the moon! She was going to learn to fly!? This was the best unconventional day of training ever! Think of all the pranks she could pull! Oh, Blake was SO in for it once she got this down.

"That's awesome, seriously! You should have told me you could fly with ki before! I would have been doing this hours ago!" the sunny girl exclaimed in excitement. Gohan raised an eyebrow.

"…It's not that amazing," the Saiyan muttered, causing Yang to scoff in annoyance. Of course he'd think that.

"Maybe to you! You've been doing it since you were four!" she whined childishly. Gohan landed next to Yang as she stood up. She looked ready to move onto the next step, unfortunately it wasn't that easy.

"Alright teach! What's next, how do I fly?" she asked with an eager tone in her voice. Gohan laughed.

"Well, it's nice to see that you're eager to learn, but flying is a whole different story. Now that you've learned how to bring out your ki, you need to learn how to manipulate it. To fly, you just need to push that energy down under your feet… like so," Gohan demonstrated. He gently floated off the ground and twirled around few times to show Yang that it was no trick.

So, she decided to give it a go.

However, a about thirty minutes of failure, Yang was thoroughly exhausted. She had felt like she had run for miles, and the furthest she went was getting her heels to gently rise off the ground. Unfortunately, it seemed like they had run out of time, since classes started in about twenty minutes. Yang knew she had to leave, otherwise she would be late!

"Thanks a lot Gohan! And hey, let's keep this little thing between us, okay?" The flirtatious blonde winked at him as she quickly threw her school clothes over her workout gear. She'd change later when she had the time. She always did.

"No problem, I'm always happy to help. If you need any advice, you know where to find me. I could do with the company every now and then. It can get pretty lonely in the Library when everyone's quiet and studying," Gohan offered, to which Yang grinned.

"How about we meet here every morning at the same time?" Yang suggested. The young Saiyan thought on it for a moment. Did he really want to train her every morning? It was no problem to him, and he kind of enjoyed their little impromptu session this morning.

"Sure, I don't mind," he replied with a smile. Yang fist pumped and thanked Gohan one more time before she took off to find her team. To Gohan, something stirred within him. They were foreign feelings that he had long since forgotten.

Happiness and content.

Something about seeing Yang dash off like that in such a light-hearted, giggly, and happy mood did something to generally make him feel happy too. More so than he had ever felt. When he walked into the arena originally, she'd looked annoyed, frustrated and uptight. He was happy that he'd managed to brighten up her day.

"It's a good feeling, isn't it?" a voice sounded out from behind him. Gohan spun around to find Ozpin standing there with his signature cane and coffee in hand. The hybrid was baffled that with all of his experience and skill, he still couldn't sense the man when he appeared out of nowhere. It was obvious that he wasn't an android, as his power could clearly be sensed now. Obviously being suppressed, but it was there nonetheless.

"Passing on knowledge to those in need of direction is among the best things you can do in your current position. It was one of the things I saw in you the moment we met, Gohan. You are a warrior, and you already have the experience to rival even myself in combat," the Headmaster informed him, causing Gohan's eyes widened.

"Really?" he asked, a bit of curiosity lacing his voice. What sort of combat experience did the professor have? Ozpin took a sip of his coffee.

"Perhaps. But that's not the point. One of the reasons why I employed you here is because I saw that loneliness in your eyes, that empty feeling. You have lost so much. You also have a unique skill set, and while you may not wish to fight anymore, those skills can still be placed in the hands of those who wish to carry on," the older man spoke wisely. Gohan frowned.

"Are you saying that my potential is wasted by my decision to not continue fighting?" Ozpin chuckled, amused by the boy's assumption.

"Not at all. It's your choice, but you also chose to pass on your knowledge to Ms. Xiao Long. Someone who has been having issues lately with her team, especially her partner Ms. Belladonna. Potential is never wasted Gohan. It's simply a matter of what you choose what to do with it. Whether you use it, or pass it on… or do both. It's up to you," Ozpin finished, and Gohan sighed. It sounded like the man was speaking from personal experience.

"So, the real reason why you allowed me to stay here at Beacon was in hopes that I would teach people how to use ki?" Gohan said with narrowed eyes. The mysterious headmaster shook his head.

"While that may be a benefit of this arrangement, that would be inaccurate to say. I have many reasons, some of which you might not understand just yet. But I saw your desire for a peaceful life, so I decided to give you one. It is the least I can do for someone like you," Ozpin explained. The son of Goku still felt like the headmaster was hiding something important from him.

Call it a gut feeling. Even so, he still trusted the man. After all, he hadn't been given a reason not to yet.

"Thank you, Professor. You have already done so much for me. I wouldn't know how to repay you," Gohan replied with a genuine smile. Ozpin took another sip of his coffee.

"No repayments are necessary, it's my pleasure. Now, if I am not mistaken, a certain librarian is late to his post. There are students in need of checking books out," Ozpin spoke with a small smirk. Taking a glance at his watch with wide eyes, Gohan dashed off without another word.

* * *

It was later that day that team RWBY had begun to notice the rather unusual eagerness and happiness that had seemingly infected their Y after a normal morning in Beacon Academy. While the bountiful blonde was normally upbeat and cheerful, today she was even more giddy than usual, like a young school girl who had just found out a big secret and decided to keep it to herself.

Little did they know, that analogy was entirely accurate.

Ruby and Weiss were curious enough to keep glancing at Yang while the girl in question was trying hard not to look inconspicuous. Blake, while she had noted that her partner was acting stranger than usual, had other things on her mind. Things that, in her opinion, mattered more than a seemingly overexcited Yang Xiao Long.

Things like the White Fang, and Roman Torchwick working with them.

It was during Professor Port's boring lectures that Yang seemed to be strangely quiet, her eyes closed like she was asleep. But at the same time, she was sitting upright and completely still. Blake was doing her usual studying on non-related material that had been her obsession since their encounter with Torchwick in that Atlas Mech. Ruby and Weiss had noticed the strange change in Yang's behaviour, even Pyrrha, Ren, and Jaune had noticed. Nora likely would have noticed too...if she wasn't sound asleep, that is.

"What's do you think is up with Yang?" Ruby whispered to Weiss. The Ice Queen herself rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, she's _your_ sister. Why don't you ask her?" Weiss suggested dryly. Ruby seemed conflicted. She knew her sister in more ways than a sister really should, and she had _seen_ things that she really thought that normal sisters shouldn't see. However, despite all her experiences with the blonde, she had never seen Yang act this strangely before.

She knew Yang as the social butterfly; the loud and obnoxious, boasting blonde badass brawler. Ignoring Ruby's ridiculous alliteration description of her sister, the point she was trying to understand was… what Yang was doing right now, it was so completely out of her character. It was like she was looking at a cardboard cutout of Yang, except that whoever made it, had completely gotten her personality wrong.

"Yang is acting super weird and I don't know how to ask her," the red-hooded girl confessed. Weiss scoffed and rolled her eyes. Before the heiress had a chance to respond, their bow-wearing teammate cut in.

"Maybe she's paying attention for once… and you know, actively trying to become a better huntsman?" the black haired cat faunus said off-handedly, thoroughly annoyed that Weiss and Ruby kept talking. It interrupting her reading in Criminal Psychology. RWBY's leader snorted childishly.

"Oh please, the last thing Yang would ever do is actually _listen_ to Professor Port's Grimm hunting stories," Ruby giggled, and Weiss stifled a small laugh as well. Blake sighed in moderate frustration before returning to reading.

"You know, I _can_ still hear you guys," Yang cut in with a small smile on her lips. Ruby gasped.

"She's not a statue! Or a cardboard cut-out!" Ruby cried dramatically.

"Ms. Rose! If you would, please remain silent for the remainder of the lecture!" Port scolded, causing Ruby to pull her hood over her head in shame. Having dealt with the issue, the Professor returned to his story. "Now… where was I? Oh yes, I was surrounded by a pack of over one thousand Ursai, all on my own! But suddenly…"

"Nice one, dolt," the icy heiress commented mockingly. Ruby slumped in her seat with waterfall tears.

"I can't seem to catch a break," she moaned quietly.

The rest of the day seemed to go on like this for quite some time. Ruby and Weiss would occasionally send worrisome stares in Yang's direction while she just grinned and ignored them. Blake seemed to keep to her own devices, considering her obsession with tracking the White Fang and other terrorist activities around Vale. Yang's strange behaviour did start to peak her own interests, but she didn't let it show.

The team retired to their dorm later that night, but not without Blake complaining about finding the White Fang, Weiss complaining that she is obsessed with them, and Ruby trying to break the two up. She looked to her sister for support, since she was always there to back her up. This time unfortunately…

Yang was already fast asleep, much to the dismay of the other three. What a weird girl.

* * *

It was the start of a new day, and Gohan was having fun at his job. He'd brought in new textbooks and study books for the library, gotten to know people on a casual level, and some would even greet him by name when they passed by in the hallways. However, there was one person who'd made quite the impression on him.

Yang Xiao Long.

She was a bright, sunny girl that seemed to radiate happiness and joy. There was just something about her that was just...appealing to him. A general sense of friendliness seemed to follow her like a metaphorical raincloud, brightening up everyone's day that she came into contact with.

He was so caught up in thinking about her that he missed the fact that he'd somehow managed to run into the mean crowd of Beacon Academy, namely Cardin and his flock. Gohan had been carrying a stack of books, and Cardin thought it would be funny to smack them out of his hands while walking past. The books all clattered to the floor and Gohan was snapped out of his thoughts. He glanced at the person responsible for this.

The guy was just laughing at him.

"See ya, nerd!" Cardin roared with laughter. His friends echoed his amusements as they walked past in the opposite direction. Gohan glared at them, and in response raised his hand at their unsuspecting backs. He contemplated his actions. He waited… and waited until finally they were out of sight. Gohan sighed dejectedly.

" _They're not worth it Gohan. Just ignore it,_ " he thought to himself. He wasn't really that surprised. Every school had its fair share of bullies and idiots. He resigned himself to his fate and bent down to collect the scattered books. After picking up the first few, a shadow then loomed over him.

"Would you like some help with that?" a voice asked. Gohan looked up to see the familiar looking black bowed girl standing in front of him with a book clutched to her chest. She looked exhausted, with bags evident under her eyes, as if she was suffering from sleep deprivation.

"Ah, sure. Thanks," he accepted the help gratefully. Blake leaned down and started to collect some of the the books for him. After a few minutes, they were all back in Gohan's hands. There was quite a lot of them, Blake was certainly impressed that he could carry that many without looking strained at all. In fact, he looked more carefree than usual.

"You know, you shouldn't let them do that to you. If you let them get away with it, you'll just make yourself a target for them," Blake said, breaking the silence. Gohan understood where she was coming from. However, he had endured a life-time's worth of abuse from Vegeta. A bully knocking books out of his hands was merely an annoyance.

"Yeah, I get what you're saying. I just like to think I'm better than that… you know? I don't enjoy hurting people, especially ones that wouldn't be able to fight back," Gohan replied in a depressive manner. Blake rolled her eyes. Cardin may be weak, but it wasn't like the idiot couldn't fight back.

"We're at a school for training Huntsmen, everyone here knows how to fight. I'm just saying, you shouldn't let him get away with that kind of bullying," Blake informed him with a frown. Gohan hid his amusement well. If her definition of fighting was waving a mace around without any coordination or skill, then she needed to be told otherwise.

"I know that, but I'm also aware that Cardin isn't a very good fighter. He's quite slack and very predictable. I just wasn't watching where I was going. I could beat him easily, but I don't want to, it's not really in my best interests to do so," Gohan explained looking a little flustered. Blake seemed intrigued by this.

"Anyway…" Gohan continued as he gestured to her face. "You look exhausted, you should probably get some sleep. You're a Huntress, right? If you're tired when out fighting, you could make a mistake and get hurt," the awkward Saiyan commented. Blake merely frowned. Who was he to tell her what to do? She had research to get done, and sleep was a luxury for her now.

"I have work to do, and sleep is not a priority for me at this moment," the faunus snapped aggressively. Her voice got rather irate and hostile. Gohan knew he had treaded onto a sensitive topic, and he shrugged as he walked past her. If she didn't to listen, he wasn't going to stand around and argue with her.

"Hey, it was just a suggestion. Anyway, I should get to the library. Got to scan these books through. Thanks for helping out, I guess I'll see you later?" Gohan said as he turned the corner. The girl scowled and merely walked off without another word.

"Talk about an angsty girl, jeez…" the Saiyan hybrid huffed slightly. He had other things to worry about right now, like getting back to work.

* * *

"You know I'd really appreciate it if you didn't feel the need to sit back here _so often_ ," Gohan murmured in a slightly bitter tone. It wasn't that he didn't like the company...but the strange looks people would give him when they'd approach the counter to check out books, only see Yang sitting behind his desk seemingly playing with her hands…

It was starting to make him look bad...

"Ah don't worry, it's fine! Trust me. Besides, this is the only place I can probably play with this new power and get tips on how to control it as well. It's a win-win!" Yang grinned cheekily. She was currently sitting on the floor with her legs spread out in front of her, as well as leaning against Gohan's desk.

As she sat there, she toyed with her ki, producing little balls of light and bouncing them from hand to hand. Gohan didn't know what was so amusing about it, but the girl seemed to be enjoying herself. She would play with different sizes, shapes, and energy outputs. Either way, it was helping her to improve her control. She would be flying in no time.

"Ow!" Yang yelped. A ball of energy had jumped up a little too high and hit her right on the nose. She rubbed it gently, the ball of energy falling back into her hand after leaving a sore red spot on her skin.

"You know, I never would have thought that could be an easy way to learn how to use your energy," Gohan mused out loud. Yang looked up and smirked.

"I'm smart, aren't I? How did you learn? I bet it was boring and long winded," the blond snickered. Gohan tilted his head at the ceiling in thought. It was Piccolo who had taught him how to bring out his energy. Of course, he was never that good at it until Krillin had taught him a safer method on the way to Namek, but Piccolo had been the one to teach him the basics.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it boring... my mentor threw me at a cliffside from what I can remember. It presented me with a choice, either I'd get seriously hurt, or I'd use my energy to protect myself," the young Saiyan recalled in a thoughtful manner. Yang's small ball of energy ignited and made a tiny explosion, scolding her palm, but she shook it off. Her shock at what the hybrid had said distracted her.

"What the hell kind of teacher did you have!?" Yang nearly shouted. Gohan shushed her and she silently apologized. They were in a library after all, people were trying to study for their tests and upcoming exams.

"He was the one that showed me how to use it. It probably wasn't the best method, but then again, he was more of the aggressive type. Blood, sweat, and tears produce results. 'Learn from experience', as he would say," Gohan explained. Piccolo certainly wasn't the most merciful of teachers.

Yang could only nod at that. She understood, but she just couldn't picture a fully-grown man throwing a four-year-old child at a cliffside.

"Hardcore… I'm glad you didn't do that to me!" the fiery blonde replied honestly. Gohan just chuckled lightly.

"No, I wouldn't do anything like that. My mentor was more along the lines of getting me to improve as fast as possible. He didn't like to beat around the bush. You either worked hard, or he beat you senseless. I'm actually pretty glad he trained me that way, otherwise I wouldn't have survived the battles I was placed in," Gohan elaborated vaguely. Yang looked up at him. She was about to ask what kind of battles he'd been in when another voice made itself known.

"Yang? What are you doing back there?" a red hooded girl asked innocently, standing at the counter with a couple of textbooks in her hand. She looked at Yang and Gohan, her innocent, adorable eyes switching between the two as if she was trying to figure out the most complicated puzzle in the world.

"Oh, hey Ruby!" Yang jumped up and wrapped an arm around Gohan's neck. Much to his ire and violation of personal space, she pulled him closer and tighter, making him struggle to sit upright with his face pressed into the side of her chest. "Fancy seeing you here..." the blonde grinned mischievously.

"Uh, Yang… we come here every day to study. You know, we have that test coming up soon?" Ruby informed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Yang swallowed, she wasn't good at lying, she'd have to work on her fabrication skills.

"That we do. I uhhh...I was just over here hanging out with my good friend… Gohan!" Yang gestured to the struggling boy in her arms. Ruby raised an eyebrow, what was up with her sister? She was acting even more strange than before!

"I can see that, but… why were you behind his desk? You looked like you were hiding," Ruby questioned. Yang laughed and waved her off.

"Ha…ha… what are you talking about Ruby? I'm not hiding from anyone," Yang replied quickly, looking away from her sister. Ruby narrowed her eyes. Her little sister instincts were starting to tingle. Yang was acting all nervous around a boy like Gohan. And considering just how handsome he was…

Could it be?

"Can you please let me go now, it's kind of hard to breathe when you're holding me like that," Gohan requested politely. Yang chuckled nervously and let go. Ruby could only stare at the two, and Yang felt like the girl was starting to make bad assumptions at what she'd been doing. That was supposed to be her job, not Ruby's! It was supposed to be the other way around!

"My dear sister Yang," Ruby started in an all too sweet voice. Yang groaned.

"Oh, here we go…"

"Is it possible that you have some girlish feelings for this handsome young boy over here?" Ruby tried to sound high and regal, but failed miserably as her voice cracked several times during that sentence. Gohan couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. The bickering between two siblings… wait, what?

"You two are related?" Gohan asked incredulously. The two sisters turned to him, and Ruby just nodded.

"Yang's my older sister. We're sisters from another mister…" Ruby said crossing her arms, pretending to be suave. Yang deadpanned.

"Ruby, we have different moms. We only have one dad," the blonde said blandly. Ruby cried waterfall tears.

"I know but it sounds so much cooler!" Ruby protested in a childish tone. Yang sighed.

"You're such a dork," she groaned dramatically.

"Oh yeah? Well, you're a giant boob!" Ruby shot back. Yang laughed. Her sister _really_ sucked at comebacks. And she didn't seem to have that good of a sense of humour.

"Why thank you Ruby, I'm glad you noticed that they've grown recently," Yang smirked, gesturing to her breasts. Ruby growled and muttered something under her breath before she snatched her books and stormed away, heading off back to study with Weiss. She could never seem to one up her sister without being completely embarrassed. Yang fist pumped.

"Oh yeah, take that Ruby Rose. You will never get the last laugh on someone like me!" Yang snickered evilly. Gohan sighed.

"I didn't even scan her books…" he frowned dejectedly.

* * *

Things were rather uneventful until the next morning. Gohan decided since Yang had attained a fair amount of control over her energy, that she would be able to move onto the next step. To be fair, Gohan was sort of making this up as he went along. He didn't have a set training plan, he just seemed to work at the pace that Yang was improving.

Which was surprisingly fast indeed.

"You ready to take it to the next level?" Gohan asked. Yang grinned and fist pumped.

"Bring it on! I'm so ready to fly!" she replied eagerly.

Yang had successfully managed to sneak out of her dorm room. Ruby and the others had been none the wiser. She had to be a little more careful, since they knew that she usually enjoyed sleeping in on days like these. But that didn't matter anymore, she was so intently focused on getting better at using ki. It was what drove her to get up on these early mornings more often now.

"I have to say, I'm impressed that you've managed to get up at five o'clock in the morning every day to come and meet me here to train like this. You must be more serious about this than I originally thought." the hybrid noted. Yang scoffed.

"Duh? Isn't it obvious? Learning how to use this kind of energy has been a _blast_!" the hot headed blonde grinned, to which Gohan could only roll his eyes. Yang was one for making puns, and not the good kind either.

"Not only that," she continued, "but I can protect my baby sister from all the evils that shall dare approach her! Especially those creeps that eye her up when she isn't looking…" Yang threatened menacingly. Gohan cringed slightly at that. He felt sorry for any guy that managed to get on her bad side.

"Okay, since you have the basics down on how to bring out your energy, all it takes is practice. So, I want you to aim high. Try getting to floating today. I can clearly see that playing around with your energy has helped you improve your control over it. You've come far since that first morning, now let's see you put all that training to use," Gohan praised lightly. The brawler grinned with excitement and got to work.

He could feel the ripples in the air as Yang's hair shifted in an invisible breeze. Slowly he watched as her heels lifted off the ground with relative ease. She was calm, and focused. He could see the beads of sweat start to form on her forehead. She was trying incredibly hard to improve, and he couldn't help but think about what her motivation was.

Her feet suddenly lifted off the ground and she floated a good two meters into the air. Gohan let out a small cheer of praise towards Yang as she stayed up there for a few seconds before coming back down and landing perfectly on the ground. She let out a breath and opened her eyes.

"That was… so surreal," Yang gasped. The Saiyan couldn't help but be amused at her tone of voice.

"You pick things up pretty quickly. It's only the second lesson dedicated to flying, and you've already managed to get off the ground! That's impressive. Soon you'll be able to move like this," Gohan demonstrated as he leaped into the air and glided around the arena. Yang watched in awe before she caught herself and scoffed.

"Psh… you don't need to rub it in. I get it, you're amazing at this stuff. I still can't believe it though. I thought you were mostly full of hot air yesterday... Well, I guess you can say we're _both full of hot air now_!" the fiery blonde exclaimed with a grin. Gohan initially sighed at the unimpressive pun, but soon gave in and smirked at it.

"Oh, ha ha ha. Very funny Yang," Gohan commented while the girl laughed at her own joke. "Oh, yeah. I've been meaning to ask… why have you been so interested in this? If you thought I was lying, why not just walk away?" Gohan asked. Yang shrugged.

"I like to try new things. Give people the benefit of the doubt, you know? Plus, that light from your hand was like no ability I'd ever seen before. I was convinced at first that it was just your semblance, but you said anyone could do it with the right training. So, I thought 'why not?'; I asked you if you could teach me, and what do you know… you weren't lying after all," Yang replied, elaborating on her reasoning. The teen Saiyan accepted that answer without complaint.

"Open minded people tend to make it the furthest in this type of training. If you're not willing to open yourself to new ideas and new ways of doing things, then how are you ever supposed to progress? It's probably what sets you aside from most of the hunters and huntresses around Beacon that I've met. A lot of them seem to be stuck in their own way of doing things," Gohan noted. The blonde could only nod in understanding.

"Yeah, we were taught to do that at Signal. I'm sure they do that at the other pre-hunter academies as well. We are taught to develop our own style and perfect it. Some like swords, others guns… and there are people like me who prefer up close and personal… or if you're a weirdo like my sister then a scythe/sniper rifle hybrid is the thing for you," Yang chuckled. Gohan laughed at that.

"Point is…" the fiery blonde carried on. "We were taught to fight our battles in our own style. It was one of the best ways that we are taught to fight Grimm. Develop your own fighting technique so that everyone is different and unique. That way the Grimm can never adapt to the way we fight, because everyone is different and fights in their own way," Yang finished her explanation.

"That's an interesting way of looking at things. I guess if you're all still around, then it works well enough," Gohan thought out loud. The blonde only nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, you're right about that. But this energy though… I've never seen or heard of anything like it. It's always been either dust, aura, or semblances," Yang stated. The hybrid was in the same boat really. He knew so much about energy, but semblances, aura, and dust were things that he knew very little about. He only knew what was in the books that he had read.

"I don't know much about aura, dust, or semblances, but ki is very destructive and powerful once it's honed and trained. Keep at it and there's no telling how strong you can become," He shared. Finally, Yang asked the question Gohan had been expecting her to all along.

"So… just how strong are you?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Gohan frowned slightly. He wasn't quite sure how to answer this one.

"Well, I don't know really. How strong do you think I am?" Gohan queried. The young Saiyan had always compared himself to his father in that regard. His father or Piccolo. Since they'd died, all he could worry about was getting stronger than the Androids. He could safely say that he was more powerful than them at least. But he had no relative comparison here in Remnant. He hadn't fought any battles to give him a gauge on how powerful the people were.

"How am I supposed to know that? You said that this power can destroy mountains! So, can it? Or were you just being dramatic? Because I still find that hard to believe," Yang smirked, a knowing look plastered on her face.

He shrugged. She had a fair point. If he were to put himself in her shoes, he could understand why he found that hard to believe.

"When I was a kid, I was forced to fight someone that was capable of blowing up more than just a few mountains. I barely survived come to think about. I was quite lucky. I'm glad that _he_ was as arrogant as he was, otherwise I might be dead right now. Who knows..." Gohan elaborated. Yang just groaned.

"Well… you did kind of send me flying across the arena when we first met in one hit, so I'm assuming you're pretty strong," the sunny girl said knowingly. Gohan scratched his head as he tried to remember. He wouldn't be the first to admit that he ended up blanking on some memories. It's why his mother practically crammed the idea of studying into his head.

"Oh yeah, well that was more of a love tap. I didn't hit you too hard," Gohan recalled blandly. Yang almost face-vaulted. Unbelievable! What kind of sheer strength was this guy hiding inside of him!?

"A love tap!? If my aura wasn't full, you would have broken my ribs you jerk!" Yang yelled at him. Gohan raised his hands and retreated a step or two. He would never hurt her intentionally. He was fully in control of his power, there was no way he would have hurt her.

"Oh, come on, you were fine. I wasn't trying to hurt you," he retorted, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah… anyway Mr. Super Over Powered. Why don't we get back to training?" Yang drawled with a roll of her eyes. This sort of back talk was actually relatively endearing, and the Saiyan had to admit, he was really starting to like this girl!

"Yeah, good idea. Your next task is to fly comfortably. Once you get that down, then we can move on to something more practical," he informed her. Yang grinned and held up one finger. The hybrid tilted his head and raised an eyebrow in a confused manner.

"One week. I'll master flying in one week. If I do, then you have to go to the upcoming dance with me!" Yang challenged with a determined smile. Gohan looked rather surprised. He now understood what she had meant.

"Sure, I don't mind. I don't have any fancy clothes though," Gohan retorted. Not like it was truly a problem, it was an easy fix. The blonde didn't seem that phased, but she was still generally surprised. Come to think of it, he usually either wore a student's attire or he was wearing his fighting clothing. She'd never seen him in anything else.

"Really? Not one pair? Man, I'm going to have to take a ride into town with you! We can go shopping later. You definitely need to wear something other than that same pair of clothes you always have on," Yang analysed as she looked at the boy from head to toe. The Saiyan glanced down at his attire, and recognized the truth in her words. When he wasn't wearing the school clothes he was provided with, he was always wearing this fighting gi.

He'd managed to get the original fixed up, and then had it replicated. Ozpin had been nice enough to provide him with the extra lien needed to do so.

"These are actually my father's old clothes. They were the only thing he really had to leave to me after he died. So, I happily wear them in his memory," Gohan explained with a sad smile. Yang seemed rather touched at that. She'd never picked Gohan out to be the sentimental type. He seemed so open and forthgoing.

"Oh I'm sorry about your father. It's really cute that you wear his clothes to honor him, you really are a nice guy." Gohan blushed at that, but Yang had already moved on without noticing it. "Anyway, that's beside the point. We need to get you a suit and tie for this shindig that Weiss and I are hosting, and I'll be damned if my date is going to be looking anything less than smokin' hot!" Yang concluded. Gohan sweat dropped at that.

"You talk like you already won the deal," Gohan noted. Yang smirked and winked at him, a light blush appearing on her cheeks.

"I hope you're a betting man, because I'm taking out this deal! I won't go to the prom alone when I have a potential candidate standing right in front of me." The smirk on her face changed to a more of a contemplating look as she pondered something.

"I need to find something else to wear other than that bland white dress that Weiss is lending me. I need something that screams: Me. You know?" Yang looked thoughtful as she turned her gaze towards him. Gohan raised his hands. He didn't know what she would look good in. He thought she looked fine the way she was!

"S-Sure. I'm sure you will look lovely either way." He had no idea what she was going on about. Her intentions and desires seemed to change quite fast. He was in for a hell of a ride for sure in these next few days.

* * *

Yang was really starting to get the hang of it. She had formed a habit of staying behind after combat class with Ms Goodwitch and secretly practicing her flying. Every time she attempted to fly, she learned more about what kind of energy output was required for different speeds and heights. She was determined to master it for two main reasons.

One, it was freaking cool to fly. That should be enough of a drive alone for one to learn.

The next, it would help her in the future when hunting Grimm. The amount of ground one could cover with this was incredible! She'd never have to walk or run anywhere again in her life! That was a nice thought to have.

Yang was currently in the air, maintaining her energy output and carefully making sure her movements were controlled. It was quite taxing to begin with, but eventually she managed to get it down. Each time she tried, it was getting easier to do. The feeling of succeeding at something like this was pushing Yang to keep going.

"How interesting," a voice said from below her. Her concentration snapped and she fell out of the air. She hit the floor hard and groaned. She had been quite startled. She hadn't expected anyone for at least the next hour. Classes were on lunch break anyway.

She looked up to see none other than the Headmaster of Beacon, standing there looking at her while smugly drinking what was ever in that cup. Coffee? Tea? She didn't know, and she didn't care. Whatever it was, he seemed to always be drinking it. Yang suddenly felt very nervous.

"Hello… Professor," she greeted awkwardly. Ozpin didn't respond, and merely sipped the liquid out of his mug. "Nice day?" Yang asked with a strained guilty grin.

"It is quite a nice day, isn't it? A nice day to be learning how to harness your inner energy and learning how to use it to fly...If that's what you meant by 'nice day'," Ozpin commented, watching her reaction carefully. Yang immediately started to sweat nervously. He knew about ki? How?

Well, he was the Headmaster. Gohan had probably told him about it or something.

"Oh, so you know then?" Yang asked. Ozpin merely nodded.

"I do, and let me remind you Ms. Xiao Long that this energy is not a toy, and it is not to be abused around the school grounds. I will make this very clear to you. I have no problem with you training and learning how to use it, but should Gohan or I catch you using it for misdeeds… well, let's just say the repercussions will not be savoury," Ozpin warned dangerously. Yang nodded her head multiple times in understanding.

She got the message.

"That being said, I am curious. You seem more driven to learn about this power than you are to become a Huntress," Ozpin spoke, changing the subject. Yang narrowed her eyes in slight confusion. She didn't quite know what he was referring to. She certainly wasn't the best student, but she wasn't the worst.

"You're grades from Signal Academy and comments from certain teachers, especially Mr. Branwen," Ozpin helped her. Yang immediately sighed, looking like a guilty child. Of course, her uncle would be even harsher on her. Qrow was an awesome uncle, but sometimes she felt like he had it out for her.

He didn't want her, or Ruby to become Huntresses. He seemed to mirror their father's views on some of the things related to fighting Grimm, but at the same time, it was clear there was some mistrust between the two.

But since she and Ruby were insistent on it, Qrow decided to train Ruby. He had offered training to her as well, but Yang preferred a different style. Swords and scythes were not for her, unfortunately. She preferred a more… up close and personal kind of fighting style.

So, she trained with her dad instead. The man knew his way around boxing and building strength.

"Yeah… I kind of cruised through Signal. I didn't really try to be honest, but I'm trying now!" Yang retorted. Ozpin nodded, clearly seeing the results of her training. She was so close to learning how to fly efficiently. It wouldn't be long before she was capable of fighting at an even greater level than she was currently capable of.

"Mr Branwen said you were lazy and unmotivated. You often spent your time playing practical jokes on other students. It wasn't until your last year that you started to pick yourself up and really try to get accepted here into my academy," Ozpin continued. Yang grumbled. Was there anything that Qrow didn't tell the Headmaster?

"Yeah… he kind of pulled me aside and told me what it really took, so I decided I'd try harder," Yang admitted sourly. Ozpin took another sip out of his mug.

"And yet, here you are, on your own accord this time. I'm impressed, this is the first time since you've come here that I've seen you striving to become stronger. If I am to be honest, I was rather underwhelmed when I saw your performance at initiation. The daughter of Taiyang and Raven. I won't lie, I expected more," Ozpin said. Yang immediately felt a bit angry, but avoided lashing out.

She was strong, she knew that. Her semblance made her a powerhouse, almost invincible. She could take hits and dish them back twice as hard, but her fight with Gohan showed that he could dish out way more than she would ever be capable of with just her semblance.

She had limits, and that bothered her.

"So, I'll ask you this. Why is it only now that you have decided to really take the initiative to better yourself?" Ozpin asked, a curious gleam in his eyes. It was a question that Yang wasn't sure if she had the answer to. She found ki interesting, and for the first time, she genuinely wanted to explore what it had to offer. Gohan made it seem like the possibilities were endless!

"I-I don't know. I guess… maybe I just want to get stronger, so I can protect Ruby and my friends. Watch their backs, y'know?" Yang frowned, sounding unsure. Ozpin remained rather impassive. It was a cliché reason, the same one that so many other students had. He knew it ran deeper than that in her case.

"Are you sure this has nothing to do with your absent mother?" Ozpin pushed further. He watched her reaction carefully. From balling her fists to the narrowing of her eyes, to looking at the floor in uncertainty. There were all the signs of her wanting to find her mother. He knew Raven. He knew what she wanted and desired.

She had often come to him and talked about the future of Vale and Remnant. She was a very realistic woman. She lived by a set of rules, rules that only the cynical had. The strong survived while the weak perished. He made a gamble that day, when he put team STQR together. He had placed that small honest soul with another one that which was stained as black as the night sky.

"I-I don't want to talk about her… with all due respect, Professor." Yang faltered in her speech. It was clear that the girl had abandonment issues. While the girl had Ruby and her father, the idea that her mother had left her without a second glance or a moments hesitation bothered the girl. The ever absent biological mother.

She had only found out after Summer's disappearance.

Ozpin straightened up. He wouldn't push her any further. There were qualities of Raven in her, but there was also a bit of Taiyang in her as well. He knew those two well enough to know how their daughter would react when pushed too far.

"Very well, Ms. Xiao Long. Just remember, try to keep these powers under control, and listen to Gohan's advice. If you do want to talk about your mother, then my door is always open. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have," Ozpin lingered on those last words, as he turned around and strode out of the room, leaving Yang standing in the middle.

The girl looked at her hands, her eyes shifting to crimson red as the thought of her biological mother came to mind.

" _I know you're out there somewhere mom, and I will get my answers. Dad refuses to talk about you, so I'll just find you myself._ "

* * *

Yang had learned to fly efficiently in just under four days of training. Gohan had taken her out to the Emerald Forest early in the morning during that fourth training session together, and they flew together over the forests that the initiation had taken place in.

Yang had far too much fun just flying freely. Her bright yellow aura circled her like a flame that would never extinguish. Gohan watched with amusement as she flew beside him. He could hear her laughing and cheering as she turned and flipped as they sped around the Emerald Forest. While it was a hindrance at first, after awhile she'd gotten used to the wind resistance.

As part of the deal, Gohan accepted the invitation to be Yang's plus one at Beacon's upcoming dance to celebrate the Vytal Festival. The event was hosted and run by team RWBY and JNPR, so while Yang found herself busy during the days, she would often visit him in the library and hide behind his desk. She would sit next to him out of sight and practice just using her ki.

She was utterly fascinated by it, and couldn't seem to contain her giddiness when she saw her own ki floating in her hands. Naturally, her team started to become increasingly suspicious. Yang didn't know how to sense ki, but Gohan had started to notice that Ruby and Weiss had been following her around.

Blake pitched in as well, since Yang's newfound positivity didn't sit quite well with her considering that their team was now actively involved in an investigation to put a stop to all crime in Vale.

Yang seemed far too happy. Way to happy for the normal Yang, and RWB had taken notice. They had brushed it off for that one day thinking that maybe Yang just woke up on the sunniest side of the bed that morning, but since it continued for four days straight, they started to get suspicious that maybe Yang was hiding something from them.

Both Blake and Weiss hated not knowing things that actively involved them, and since Yang was a part of their team, they considered themselves to be involved. Ruby, however, just wanted to know what was so darn funny. Yang would giggle and laugh at seemingly nothing, and the young girl in red just wanted to know what her sister was keeping from her.

Yang had refused to say anything of course.

However, that didn't stop them from following her to investigate.

Now they knew that Gohan, the resident Beacon Librarian, had something to do with their teammates sudden sunny outlook on life. Ignoring the fact that Yang's outlook was always sunny, considering she was making puns left right and center almost all day, every day. It was the fact that she had stopped doing that, and started acting like she had this big funny secret that she was keeping from the other three.

To Weiss, it was infuriating.

To Blake, it was annoying.

To little Ruby Rose, it was depressing in a comical way.

Since Ruby and Weiss were busy, Blake had managed to find the time to visit the library to continue her research into the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. It was why she was so surprised when Yang had managed to lure her away from there and basically kidnap her to talk.

She had been adamant about continuing her research, believing that that their enemies were out there plotting the downfall of Vale, and it annoyed her that Yang had been even happier since their fight with Roman.

The blonde had spilled her heart out to Blake, which the cat faunus was grateful for. She got to learn more about where Yang and Ruby had come from, and why Yang seemed to be so protective of her sister. They grew up in Patch, and Yang had done something stupid that put them both in danger. Yang's mother was missing and Ruby's mom was dead, while their father seemed to be unstable at the very least.

And she thought that she'd come from a weird family. Menagerie was a strange place, a land that consisted of mostly faunus, a land that had been given to them after their successful protests and efforts in the Great War. While to most it seemed like a kind gesture, to Blake it seemed like a place where the humans could finally be rid of the beasts in human form.

Blake had grown up surrounded by tension. Surrounded by faunus who hated humans. For the longest time, those feelings rubbed off on her. She despised humans growing up, but it wasn't until she was older, when she joined the militaristic White Fang, that she began to see things differently. Humans and faunus were the same. They just looked different. Humans had their own hardships to deal with, just as the faunus did.

Yang's story had just confirmed that.

However, Blake wanted to get to the bottom of something that had been bothering her and the rest of her team for quite some time.

"I've noticed that you seem to be spending an unprecedented amount of time with the Librarian," Blake commented off-handedly. Yang disengaged from the hug that she had been giving her partner. The previous tension and discussions about researching crime in Vale now past them. Yang flushed like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Oh… he's a cool guy. Nice to talk to y'know?" Yang played off. Blake scowled, her tired eyes narrowing.

"If I have to go to this stupid dance tomorrow night, you're going spill whatever it is that you've been hiding. You've been unnaturally giddy these past few days, and even Ruby is worried. It's like you're planning some kind of huge prank," Blake retorted. Yang ran a hand through her hair in mild annoyance.

"Uh, it's nothing like that at all! Jeez, Ruby can be such a worrisome little baby sometimes. Look, I just made a new cool friend. That's it, he's even going to accompany me to the dance tomorrow as my plus one," Yang explained. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you said you'd dance with me," she accused. Yang groaned. Her partner always seemed to stick her nose where it didn't really need to be.

"I can dance with more than one person Blakey. Besides, what's the problem? I don't see why the rest of you should care what I do with my own personal time. It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything," Yang scoffed as if it was the most ridiculous idea in the world. Blake scowled further. Why did Yang seem to be a terrible liar? It's like she didn't even try to play it off.

"Well, Weiss and Ruby think you're up to something, and neither of them like being left in the dark. Is your new boyfriend-" Yang had stopped her right there, throwing up her arms nervously. Why would Blake think that?!

"Whoa there Blakey! Gohan isn't… we aren't like that. He's just a really good friend. I hang out with him, and we talk a lot. He's a hand to hand fighter like I am, so he gives me pointers. Trust me, it's nothing like what you think," Yang denied. Blake wasn't convinced in the slightest.

"Really…" Blake drawled sarcastically. "You seem awfully defensive about this Yang. You sure you haven't got something you want to tell the rest of us?" she asked with a small, mischievous smile gracing her lips. Blake knew how to push people's buttons once she got to know them well enough, and her time in team RWBY had given her experience to know the certain buttons that Yang didn't like being pushed.

"Blake, it isn't… We're not in that kind of relationship," Yang grounded out seriously. Blake sensed some disappointment in her voice. The way Yang defended herself told the cat faunus that there was something there that Yang didn't want getting out.

"Fine. Your love life isn't my concern anyway. We're just concerned about your wellbeing. Ruby hasn't seen you act like this before, and it's kind of annoying," Blake commented honestly. Yang being more sunny and happy than usual was enough to tick her off sometimes.

"I just…" Yang started. She really wanted to tell Blake, but truthfully, she wouldn't know how to explain it, or how she would react. Yang played all the scenarios in her head where she would tell Blake about what she was training with. None of them ended with Blake believing her, or being even remotely happy about it.

"Well? Spit it out then," Blake snapped impatiently. Yang looked at her partner. How on Remnant could she tell her? It wasn't because she couldn't, it was because she didn't know any way to explain what she was doing without making her sound bonkers! She didn't want to show Blake her energy in case she freaked the girl out.

"I'm just going to go. I'll talk to you later Blake." Yang bounded off before her partner could stop her. The raven-haired girl frowned slightly as she saw the classroom door close behind Yang's exiting form. She was obviously keeping more secrets from them.

But Yang had looked really torn, like she was trying to find the right words to tell her something. Blake didn't know what it was, but it was important enough to bring down Yang's sunny mood. The girl clearly didn't like keeping secrets from them, which meant…

She had to think on this.

She couldn't go making assumptions.

She'd wait and bide her time. She would watch her partner closely. If Yang couldn't tell them, then Blake would take it upon herself to discover what the girl was hiding. It couldn't be that bad. It didn't seem like Yang had done anything bad, so what was troubling her?

It must be a personal issue.

Questions for later.

Right now, her body demanded sleep. She was exhausted. Stupid White Fang, stupid Roman Torchwick, keeping her up at night.

* * *

It was the next morning, and Yang had woken up extremely as per usual. This time, though, Blake had managed to wake up too, just in time to watch Yang close the door softly. The cat girl checked her clock. It was just after five in the morning, and the sun hadn't even come up yet. She knew Yang liked her early workouts, but not _this_ early.

Getting dressed extremely quietly, Blake decided to follow Yang to the arena. She had managed to catch up quickly. Yang seemed to walk at a leisurely pace towards Ms. Goodwitch's classroom. When she got there, she made her way down to the arena where Gohan was waiting. Blake slipped in before the door closed and hid in the bleachers.

"You're a bit later than usual," Gohan commented. The girl only sighed. It was clear that she'd had a late night.

"Eh, I was up last night with Weiss because we were drawing out plans for the Ball tonight. By the way, we need to get you a suit today, because Weiss and I are running the party. Blake and Ruby are just kind of helping," Yang explained. The Saiyan could only feel slightly nervous at the idea of wearing a suit.

"I see. Anyway, you seem to have gotten flying down quickly, so we'll move onto something else," Gohan said, changing the subject. He really wanted get away from the whole 'going shopping with Yang' thing. It didn't seem that appealing to him. He had been shopping with his mother once.

Not a fun experience.

Still in hiding, Blake's eyebrows furrowed at that remark.

" _…Flying?_ " she thought in confusion. The blonde brawler grinned in excitement.

"Yeah, it was pretty easy after a while. Just had to get that feeling down. It's easy to control if you practice enough," Yang summarized. Blake wondered about that from her hiding spot. Was that what Yang was doing? Also, those times she had been acting strangely, could it be a secret aura manipulation technique? She had no idea.

"Yeah, practice makes perfect as they say. Now, I believe you're ready to start implementing what you've learned into combat. We're going to spar, and I don't want you to use your weapons. Come at me with everything you have," Gohan instructed. Yang nodded in understanding.

"Alright. I won't hold back then," Yang powered up a little, a small yellow aura coating her body. From her hiding spot, Blake could peer through a few gaps in the tables to look out onto the arena. She could see most of it clearly, but her vision was still obscured. She thought the two were just going to do a mock battle like in Goodwitch's lessons, but then her mouth almost fell agape when the two seemingly started to float in mid-air.

"Whenever you're ready." Gohan waited. Blake watched as her hot headed partner seemingly accelerated through the air and charged at her teacher. He dodged easily like a master of the art. Yang had to readjust herself, as slowing down in mid-air had proved to be more difficult than she thought.

How were they doing this? It made absolutely no sense to the black bowed faunus. The idea was absurd! Yang couldn't fly! What was going on here!?

"This is much… harder than… I expected!" Yang grunted as she attempted to fight in mid-air, only to be pushed way off course by the laughing hybrid Saiyan. She somersaulted and flipped around like gravity didn't exist. Yang looked as though she was going to be sick, but reigned it in and readjusted herself.

"Use your center of gravity to control your movements. It's why I said when you throw your weight around, you're going to get hurt. If your movements are controlled through the center of your body, you have much more control over how much power you exert, and how fast your strike," Gohan instructed. She took that advice to heart. She charged towards him again.

Instantly there was improvement, but at the cost of speed. Yang was stable and throwing strong punches and kicks, but she moved much slower while doing so. Blake just still couldn't believe what she was witnessing. Suddenly Yang dropped to the ground, sweating and panting. Gohan landed a few feet away from her with a smile on his face.

"Fighting while using ki to keep yourself balanced in the air is much harder than just flying freely. Wouldn't you agree?" Gohan asked. Yang groaned lightly and pushed herself back to her feet, having regained some of her energy.

"I never really knew anyone could fight like that. It's incredibly difficult," Yang admitted. While she was in hiding, Blake had to agree with her partner. But what she was seeing was defying all reason and logic.

"For beginners, it's a good way to help your ki grow and to become much stronger and faster. For people like me, it's mostly just another way to go about combat, like a second nature. I don't really think about it, it just kind of happens," Gohan explained. Yang couldn't help but imagine the kind of battles he had fought.

"You must have practiced a lot to be able to fight so well in the air like that. It's hard enough for me to keep the energy sustained while having to account for all the movements in the air. It's like learning how to use a muscle I've never even known I had," Yang compared.

"Yeah. I suppose you can look at it that way. Now are you ready for round two? We are going to speed up now, and I may just fight back a little," Gohan warned with a taunting smile. The fiery and sunny blonde grinned. The challenge of fighting someone like him brought a fire to her eyes.

"Bring it on!"

The two launched back into the air to fight, Gohan clearly going easy on Yang while she struggled to keep herself afloat. Blake just watched with a dumbfounded look in her eyes. This… librarian… whoever he was, could teach Yang this? How!? None of it made a lick of sense to her. It was like this kid was from some other planet!

This went on for a good two and half hours until the sun came up and glared in through the classroom windows. Blake just sat and watched the whole thing from her hiding spot. The two would eventually come down and break for a few minutes before going back up and sparring again. Each time they did, Yang got a little faster, and looked a little bit more in control. Eventually though, their time ran out.

"Aw man, I have a meeting with Weiss at the Gym to start preparing for the ball tonight. What a bummer. I could have kept going." Yang whined as the bell rang. The two descended back to the ground. The Saiyan was quite impressed with how fast she adapted to this new power.

"Ah, it's fine. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Same time tomorrow?" Gohan queried. Yang confirmed it with a thumb up.

"Sure. I'm finding that I've had a lot more energy lately. Just doing everyday stuff is a lot easier. I don't get tired too quickly," Yang noted offhandedly as she threw on some of her casual clothes and headed for the door.

"Thanks for this morning Gohan. And remember our plans for this afternoon. I'm taking you shopping, so don't be late!" Yang waved as she exited the area. Gohan sighed and smiled, turning to the bleachers and looking exactly where Blake was hiding. He knew she was there!

"You can come out now, Blake," The hybrid called out. Her heart sped up as she slowly ascended from her hiding spot. She was busy trying to figure out how he'd known she was there. Did he see her when she slipped in? No, he couldn't have, he was looking the other way.

"H-How did you know I was there?" she asked as she made her way down to the arena. Gohan crossed his arms, she seemed to be a very curious girl. He wondered if he should have outed her when she trailed Yang, but it was Yang's choice to keep the training a secret, so he'd rather talk to the Blake about what she was doing.

"I can sense you. Your energy that is," Gohan answered, her reaction was rather amusing. Blake raised an eyebrow. She had heard him and Yang talk about it during their spar. ki, they referred to it as. Life energy, something clearly different than aura. If he could sense it, then could Yang?

"Did… does Yang know?" she asked, fearing that the blonde would be angry with her. Gohan shook his head. Sensing energy was something he would have to teach her soon, it was a handy skill to have.

"Don't worry, Yang can't sense energy yet," Gohan replied, eliciting a sigh of relief from the girl in front of him. Blake felt momentarily relieved.

"I see… so, this is Yang's big secret. She's been training with you. And for some ungodly reason… she's learned to fly, and so can you," Blake commented with her ever impassive expression, but this time there was little bit more emotion in her voice. The young fighter noted this girl's curious personality.

"A byproduct of learning how to use ki. She picked it up relatively fast, I was kinda surprised. Yang's quite talented for this kind of thing," Gohan explained. Blake didn't give him any signs of understanding, she just simply sighed.

"So, this life energy stuff. What exactly is it, and how is this is the first time I've seen it. I'm pretty sure if someone like Yang could learn how to fly in a little under four days, then every huntress and huntsman worth their salt should be flying," Blake asked with a frown. Gohan sighed and sat down, as did Blake. She was determined to get answers.

And she wasn't leaving without them.

"Because this energy is dangerous. If you misuse it, you can end up badly hurting yourself, or downright killing yourself," Gohan explained, causing Blake to scowl. Why was he teaching Yang something so dangerous? Did he realize how hot headed Yang was?

"So, you're teaching Yang something that as the potential to kill her? What are you thinking!?" she growled. Gohan rolled his eyes.

"Because I know how to use it, and I know how to teach people how to use it properly. The reason people around these parts don't know how to use it is because where I am from, we use ki instead of aura, and no one has anything like a semblance," Gohan made up. It was the best excuse he could come up with on the spot like that.

Blake's eyes widened a little bit.

No aura?

No semblance?

Everyone on Remnant had aura. And while most people didn't know what their semblance was, it didn't mean that they just didn't have them. It was the same with aura. Everyone had it in them, it was just the hunters and huntresses that had it unlocked. Other people did for sure, but everyone had aura.

"That still doesn't explain why Hunters aren't using it against the Grimm. If it's that easy to fly, then shouldn't everyone be learning how to do it?" Blake asked. Gohan sighed. She sounded much more methodical than Yang. Yang just kind of accepted his answers and went along with things. Blake seemed a lot more preserved and more interested in information and asking questions.

"You're pulling power directly from your life force energy. If you don't know how to control it, then you shouldn't be using it at all. It's different from aura. You can control this power in different ways, manipulate it to perform extremely destructive feats, and in the wrong hands it could cause a lot of damage," Gohan explained. Blake narrowed her eyes.

"So, it's forbidden to be taught because it's too destructive? How do you know it then? Who taught you?" Blake questioned. More questions, she fired them off faster than he could really think of an answer to them.

"My mentor taught me, Piccolo," Gohan answered with slight hesitation. Blake's nose wrinkled slightly at the strange name. She didn't recall anyone with that name, yet she was sure that someone who had this power would be famous! She would continue her onslaught of questions.

"Where is he? How does he know ki?" she queried. Gohan's face darkened a little, which slightly unnerved Blake.

"He's dead. He was murdered by a pair of androids. I guess he knows ki because he grew up using it," Gohan replied bluntly. Blake suddenly felt extremely terrible for asking. She didn't mean to push him for answers that badly. Just the way Gohan answered her question told her that he was extremely close to the man. Her own curiosity had gotten the best of her.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" she tried to apologize but the words seemed to catch in her throat. The boy in front of her nodded understandably. He wasn't going to take offense when the girl was just looking for some answers.

"It's alright. Happened a long time ago," Gohan reassured her. Blake still felt guilty, but rather relieved that he had forgiven her for that. Sometimes her mouth did seem to run on its own when she got heated in a conversation.

"I still don't understand how nobody knows about this power. It doesn't make any sense," Blake tried to understand, but she still couldn't wrap her head around it. The power seemed to obvious and easy to learn how to use for no one to have heard of it. She liked to think she was well informed. She would have noticed something like this a long time ago.

Gohan leaned back to think. He had to come up with a reason. These people on Remnant knew of aura and semblance as the norm, but ki was unheard of. At least, aside from Ozpin. The man didn't seem very surprised when Gohan had told him of his origins.

But these people? How could he possibly tell them that he's from another planet? Or that he knew how to use an incredibly powerful energy that was capable of destruction beyond imagination? He didn't think he could. Unless the people found out themselves, he decided he would keep it a secret. He didn't like lying, but he had to come up with something to tell Blake.

"I can't tell you why. I don't have all the answers Blake. What I am sure of though, is that only the people closest to me ever knew how to use ki, but they all were killed. Ki is a power that people don't tend to understand, and what people don't understand, they fear," The Saiyan hybrid explained. Blake already knew how that story was supposed to end.

Fear breeds hatred.

Hatred breeds bloodshed.

"I see. Since you're already teaching Yang this stuff… do you think… maybe you could teach me as well?" the cat faunus asked awkwardly. He almost laughed at that. Blake remained impassive. She was curious about this power, and it seemed that anyone could learn how to use it under the right guidance. The power would be useful, why not learn it if Yang was?

"I mean, sure. I guess I don't mind. I'm already teaching Yang every morning at about five. It seems like a good time to do it because nobody's around to bother us. If you want, you can come at the same time," Gohan offered. Blake accepted without hesitation.

"I'll be there. Now if you'll excuse me. I have to go have a long discussion with my partner," Blake said as she got up and strode out the door. Gohan sighed and chuckled a bit.

"Why didn't you just make me a regular teacher?" he murmured quietly to himself, questioning Ozpin even though the man wasn't there to hear it.

Or…was he?

It certainly wouldn't be the first time that he'd shown up out of nowhere with impeccable timing...

He looked around for a moment, and after confirming that the man was indeed absent, he got up and walked out of the arena. The dance was tonight, and he needed a suit. He never would've thought he'd be attending a dance in his lifetime. He had been fighting that war against the Androids for so long that he almost forgot what it felt like to be normal.

That feeling was coming back to him… a peaceful, normal, but still exciting life. It was something that made him happy. And that's all he truly wanted.

* * *

"You're not very good at keeping secrets," Blake noted as she watched Yang float around in the gym. The blonde jumped in fright, she was busy placing the decorations for the prom that morning. However, since Weiss had gone someplace else to make other arrangements, Yang had been flying around and making sure everything was set in place. It was more efficient for her that way.

"Hi Blake! How… are you?" Yang said rather awkwardly as she floated back to the ground. Blake's eyes narrowed as her scowl became even more apparent on her face.

"Yang, why keep this a secret?" Blake asked. The blonde sighed, no use hiding it now. She was kind of surprised she had managed to keep it under wraps from the girl for this long. Ruby was a bit of an air-head, and Weiss seemed rather indifferent. Blake however, was much more observant and careful.

"Look, it's like I told you. I feel responsible for making all those bad decisions when I was a kid. I almost got Ruby killed, and I can't bear to think that I might do it again. The opportunity presented itself and I kind of just went with it. I didn't ask that many questions," Yang explained. Blake scowled further.

"Yang, this is serious! Nobody in Remnant from my knowledge knows about ki," Blake exclaimed. Yang recoiled a bit but resigned to her guilty and downcast look like she had just been caught red handed.

"So, you saw… I take it you've already talked to Gohan," Yang concluded. Blake nodded to confirm her thoughts.

"I've had a chat with him. He was quite forthcoming with information regarding exactly what it is and why people have hardly heard of the term around Remnant," Blake informed with narrowed eyes. Yang played with her fingers like a guilty child. Blake saw this a smirked a little bit.

"I just don't understand why you'd keep this a secret from your team… from me. The way I see it, we could have all been training with you. This power could benefit all of us," Blake explained her view. The blonde sighed. She knew it wasn't that easy or simple.

"Gohan told me that the more people that know about this power, the more damage it will cause. He told me that ki is destructive in nature, and that in the wrong hands it could endanger the lives of everyone on the planet," Yang elaborated on her reasons for remaining silent about the issue. Blake's eyes widened a little bit at this new piece of information.

"Really? It's that powerful?" she asked incredulously. The fiery brawler could only nod in confirmation.

"He's given me small examples of what it's capable of. It's scary just how strong he is Blake. There's a reason he's not a student here. He'd flatten any one of us if he fought seriously. I don't think even Pyrrha could scratch him," Yang explained with an honest look in her lilac eyes. The cat faunus could only imagine just how strong her partner was trying to make the boy out to be. It still didn't seem believable to her.

Even despite what she had already seen.

"I know he's just a librarian, but why's he here then?" Blake questioned with a curious look in her eyes. Yang shifted uncomfortably. Was this really for her to tell? She didn't want Gohan to be upset with her, but at the same time, Blake seemed like she wanted answers.

"I'm not sure if it's right for me to be saying this, but he told me he's been fighting since he was four, and he's sick of it. He just wants to live a life of peace now, without the stresses of fighting life or death battles," Yang explained. Blake could understand, but she was rather shocked though. She was sure that Gohan was younger than her from the looks of it.

"So, I asked if he could train me on how to use it. Since he wasn't going to use his power to fight anymore, I assumed that maybe I could use it to protect the people I care about, and defend against the Grimm better. He didn't seem to mind training me. In fact, I actually think he's enjoying it," Yang elaborated more on her reasons.

"I see. Then it's a good thing I asked to be included in these little sessions you two are having," Blake smirked a little. Yang's mouth dropped in shock.

"Wait, he's going to train you too? But… you don't seem like the kind of girl that fights the way we do," Yang queried, looking confused. Wasn't the idea of fighting with ki exclusive to martial arts? Blake fought with a sword and her semblance. Yang didn't know that much about ki, so it was a rather poor deduction.

"I'm sure there are other ways than fighting with your fists, Yang… and who said I can't fight the way you do?" Blake asked accusingly. Yang leaned back and laughed a bit. Just looking at Blake, Yang had assumed that she only fought with her sword. Her figure didn't exactly scream muscular or built like Yang was.

Well she was tall…

And those legs… damn…

"Why are you looking at me like that?" the faunus snapped. Yang coughed a little bit to bring her mind back out of the gutter.

What? Blake was hot.

You would be stupid to say otherwise. Yang had to admire beauty when she saw it, and Blake certainly had it in spades.

"Well, I guess we'll see then. Gohan did say that everyone can use it, so I guess once you start you'll learn your own way of incorporating it into the way you fight. For me it's just the same as usual, except I'm more controlled. I don't really need to swing my weight around anymore," Yang said with a grin. Blake sighed.

"Oh yeah, and you can fly. There's always that," Yang added with a small grin. Blake scowled and blushed a little.

"Flying looks fun."

"You're damn right it is."

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 **A/N: Hey there, dmoose18 here! Bet you didn't expect to see me anywhere other than PW or WoL (yes, I _do_ still remember that I have my own story…)! As Sivam said earlier, I'll be editing for this story from now on. I won't make appearances in the A/N every time like I do for PW, but I'll poke my head out occasionally if I have something important to say. Anyway, I'll keep this short and end here, but I hope you guys end up enjoying this story, because it's going to be fun to work on! Now, time for Sivam to respond to reviews!**

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 **Xman321: I'm so glad you checked out my story! Future Gohan on Remnant is something that I have been toying with for quite some time. I have a few little other stories featuring him on Remnant, but this one seemed to flow quite nicely for me.**

 **You and Moose inspired me to post this story mainly because I'm enjoying Power Within so much, but I also want to help create more DBZ crossovers. We both know how hard it is to work with a fandom that can practically blow away any other without much effort.**

 **This is definitely going places, I have so much planned and so much already laid out. You just wait. This is going to be one hell of a ride, I hope :P**

 **dmoose18 ( _hey, that's me!_ ): Of course you would make me answer your review when you're editing this story ( _yes, that I would_ ). You already know what happens for the next 9 or so chapters, but I guess I'll humor you and everyone else that has similar questions.**

 **I'm not making him a student purely because I want to get away from the cliche that involves crossover characters joining either team RWBY or team JNPR. We honestly have enough of those, but I also wanted him to be around them because they are the central point of the show. I felt like placing him in a librarian position would be the best, because it will allow him to grow and meet the characters in realistic scenarios other than having him dropped in the middle of them.**

 **As for pairings, I don't hate romance, I'm just bad at writing it. But I hope that in future chapters when I do decide to pair up some characters that I can pull it off. Under your guidance that is ( _Master Moose shall teach you the ways of the Jedi_ ). Just in case it wasn't clear, I already have a pairing in mind for Gohan. It's pretty obvious, but we'll see where it goes.**

 **I also ship Arkos, so Pyrrha is going to be gunning for Jaune. Don't worry Arkos shippers! I feel your unbearable pain! I am one too!**

 **Someone Random: Yes, I understand your concern about power scaling. I'm pretty sure that every DBZ crossover struggles with this issue. It's almost impossible to get it right when bringing in characters from DBZ and putting them in a far less powerful universe. It only makes sense that in reality nothing on Remnant would be a threat to Gohan.**

 **But in order to make this story entertaining and thrilling, I've had to make changes. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT I HAVE NERF'D GOHAN. No, this is more around what I'm doing with the RWBY characters.**

 **Like I said with dmoose18's review, I wanted to keep away from dropping Gohan into team RWBY or JNPR. I believe that he would be best suited in a librarian position more than anything (for reasons that may or may not be revealed later).**

 **I don't like harems. I tried to write a Naruto one ages ago, and I basically ended up scrapping the story. They're dumb and almost impossible to make seem believable, especially when you're working with a character like Gohan. So no, there will be no harem, just normal pairings.**

 **Also yes I have read some of his work. I read Heart of the Void, I think it was called. His Kingdom Hearts/Familiar of Zero story was exceptional.**

 **SolidSamurai233: Yes, I like the idea of a darker Gohan as well, but we all know that's not really his nature. In the History of Trunks, he is very friendly to Bulma and Trunks and he certainly doesn't have that emo-personality. He is still the Gohan we love, but his darker nature will be shown when he fights serious threats, as you will see in the later chapters.**

 **I like the idea of the Blake/Gohan ship, but I wouldn't be sure on how to work it. I'm not good at writing the sort of angst/drama relationship that I would see Gohan and Blake having, so I'll need to think more on that. Besides, I'm pretty set on the pairing I want to do right now. I'll let you guess, it's pretty obvious.**

 **Sid89: I did pull it from TFS. I love Imperfect Cell. He's amazing.**

 **Yes, they did motivate me with their amazing Power Within story they have going on ( _dawwwwww shucks, we aren't that_ _great_ ). I was already writing this before I got round to reading it, and doing so only fueled my motivation to see more DBZ/RWBY. I'm in the same boat.**

 **It always bothered me why Future Gohan wasn't able to defeat the Androids, so when I explain how he came to defeat them, I think I provide a good explanation as to how he did it.**

 **If you think my attention to detail was good in the pilot chapter, HA! With dmoose18 helping me, making sure the kinks are ironed out of each chapter, you can expect to notice a major improvement in writing quality, detail and dialogue. I know I certainly have. ( _I'm even editing his A/N! Also, funny you should speak of the pilot Sivam, because I'm editing that one too! He's literally finding out about this as I write this sentence…_ )**

 **I've already explained my reasons for Blake, and I just don't know how I'd work a Weiss/Gohan story. It sounds very interesting and certainly could be done, but I wouldn't know where to start.**

 **123GOHANZ: I am well aware that nobody on Remnant would be able to stand against the Androids, so I am thankful that you are able to look past it. I have plans for the RWBY characters as you can see in this chapter. I am also very well aware that the DBZ fandom has their own fair share of idiots when it comes to jacking it to power levels.**

 **I find the idea of power levels stupid and asinine because all they do is give a starting gauge on how powerful someone is, and people seem to think that whichever power level is higher is going to be the winner. There are a lot more things that factor into a battle, so this is a ridiculous mindset to have. This is just my opinion by the way. If I were to post power levels at the end of each chapter like some DBZ stories do, I feel I would spoil any tension or drama later on in the story when things get serious.**

 **I'm going to do things in this story that people will obviously disagree with, and I'm well aware that I will probably lose readers down the road because of this ( _you have no idea what he's planning, there will be riots_ ). But in order to try and make this a compelling read, I have to balance everything out somehow, otherwise what's the point in having the crossover in the first place? There would be nothing at stake really.**

 **A story where the main character is the only capable person isn't that appealing to me. That's why the Android/Cell saga probably had the biggest impact on me when I was a kid. It wasn't Goku's battle to win. It was also the first time where all the Z Fighters actually came together and helped defeat a serious threat, and not just have Goku win the day.**

 **I've already said my fair share on pairings. Anything more and I'll spoil it ( _oh please, they all already know who it's going to be!_ )**

 **Ultimate369: Gohan still has both arms. Remember that he is 16 years old in this story. In the History of Trunks when he lost his arm, I believe he was well into his twenties when it happened. This is an AU of that timeline.**

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 **The next update for this story will come in about a week or two. Sticking to an update schedule so I don't fall behind with what I already have.**

 **See you next time!**


	3. A Tango with Danger

**A/N:**

 **Hey everyone, new chapter here. Sorry it took so long, there have been issues with editing lately. Dmoose18 has been super busy with real life things and I didn't want to push him to edit when he had other priorities. This chapter was supposed to come out last week but like I said, it had to be delayed.**

 **Small note about that, I'm also the reason the next chapter of PW will be a little late too, if you read that as well. Exam week hit hard, and I also have some shoulder injuries that I'm dealing with, life hasn't been fun for the past few days. But I'm trucking through, so expect content to be back on a regular basis sometime in the near future. My bad!**

 **I would like to thank you all for your overwhelming support for this story! Because of this, this story has now reached 150,000 words In it's prewritten stage. If I keep at it with this pace, the story should reach it's end around April or May this year. This isn't going to be super long. Maybe about 350k close to 400k. I have almost all of it planned out, and it's coming along nicely so far.**

 **Without further adue, here is chapter three! Big reveal at** **the end of the chapter that sets the tone for the story! Hope you guys like it!**

 _ **Updated: 4/14/2018**_

 _ **NEW DISCORD LINK: : / / dis c ord . g g /qakCBVm**_

 **Remove Spaces**

 **My Editors have gone over the chapter and cleaned it up a bit.**

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 _Chapter Three: A Tango with Danger_

The headmaster of Beacon Academy sat in silence at his desk, his chair turned to face the Kingdom of Vale. As he watched over the city, he couldn't help but ponder the events of past few days. For so long he had waited for this mystery boy to awaken, thirteen long years…

On that day, the world had forever been changed, the pathway of fate adjusted. The road to a future that Remnant had been treading down had changed directions so suddenly. It was something that had brought him great fear at the time, but now he was beginning to rethink things.

The boy's name was Gohan, and from what the headmaster knew so far, he was certainly not an ordinary teenager. Ozpin knew much more than that, he had been studying the boy for thirteen years after all. Blood tests, tissue samples… everything the old mysterious headmaster could think of. Through these tests, he learned many things about the boy... disturbing things. However, despite all of the knowledge that was gained, there were even more questions left to be answered.

The most obvious discovery was that Gohan was not entirely human. He had a mixed genetic chain, belonging to two different species. That on its own was groundbreaking, nothing of the sort had ever existed in Remnant before. It was either Human or faunus. You couldn't be both, and there were no other species like him.

The first hybrid.

But a hybrid of what exactly?

One half of him was relatively similar to the humans on Remnant, but fundamentally different in odd ways. The genetic make up was clearly different, leading Ozpin to believe that this boy had done something, or been subjected to some kind of experimentation. He had absolutely no aura. It was vacant from his body, and this was something that stumped the headmaster.

The wounds he'd arrived with had healed in a matter of days. His body seemingly accelerated the natural healing process. It was like his body was built for battle. The boy's size and muscle mass was incredible. He seemed far more powerful than anyone his age should be. The wise headmaster had to make a judgment call, so he placed him in the basement of Beacon for further study.

He was glad that he'd done so after what had happened.

The other half of the boy… well, that was something else altogether. Ozpin couldn't figure out what the other string of the genetic makeup was. He'd cross-referenced it with every recorded faunus species there was, and there were no matches. Only one faunus species even came close to having any sort of similarity to his genetic makeup, that of the monkey faunus. It was so confusing...the boy appeared on the outside to be completely human, but at the same time, he was something entirely different.

A living enigma that Ozpin was unable to solve!

An intense mystery he was! It had plagued him for thirteen years, and some nights he had even lost sleep over just trying to solve this intricate boy. It was maddening to the point where the older man would spend days and sometimes even weeks inside Beacon's vault.

However, on the day he had woken up, Ozpin learned more about the boy than he had in all those years of studying him. A small part of the older Huntsman felt terrible for treating the boy like a lab rat without his knowledge, but he felt it was necessary for the protection and furtherment of mankind. And he would do anything he could to further humanity's survival.

Naturally, Ozpin kept the secrets he had learned about the boy to himself. He trusted no one with these. Not even his closest associate, who was out risking his life gathering information on an enemy that he had been locked in a cold war with for the longest time. This boy however…

He was a game changer. How much though, the headmaster wasn't sure. The boy had told him of the tales of his previous world. From his stories, he would make a fine addition as an ally. As long as he kept the boy in his sights and watched him carefully. Maybe he could convince the kind hearted warrior to take up arms once more.

But still, to think that this boy was from another planet…

Imagine that!

A world quite similar to theirs, but with its own demons and darkness to bear. The headmaster wasn't concerned with the battle the boy had fought back on his world, because it seemed the boy had destroyed it before ending up here on Remnant.

But there was another problem.

Involving the way he had arrived here.

Ozpin's thoughts were interrupted by his scroll blinking. He picked it up and examined it.

" _Queen has pawns,_ " it read. Ozpin hummed to himself as his gaze returned to the city below. He had felt the seeping darkness of Salem invade his precious academy. It made his blood boil. After all this time, she had been bold enough to make a move, and directly into his territory no less. How the fury burned inside of him to one day see the woman toppled and her plans crumble right before her eyes.

" _I know. Thank you Qrow, keep looking,_ " Ozpin replied after a few minutes. The older headmaster expected a snarky response from the drunkard Huntsman, but received none. Salem was just as cunning as she ever was. Playing this waiting game very carefully. If he wasn't careful, he may just lose to her yet again. He gripped his cane, his knuckles going white.

" _I know you desire your peace. You think your battles are won, but it's never that easy, Gohan. How I wish it were, but I'm afraid this peace you desire will come to a screeching halt very soon. Of all the worlds you could have ended up on, you have landed on one that is about to descend into a bloody revolution,_ " Ozpin thought in silence.

He pulled up his scroll once more and typed out a message to Qrow, wondering how the man would react.

" _The boy has woken up,_ " Ozpin typed. He clicked send and waited. No less than a minute later, the Huntsman had replied. It might have been the fastest he had ever responded to a message in his entire life as a Huntsman.

" _I'm coming back. I'll be there tomorrow,_ " Qrow had replied. Ozpin had to sigh.

Maybe he should have waited…

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It was a few minutes after noon when the young Saiyan found himself walking alongside the fiery blonde.

She was insistent on shopping with him, and so she had waited for him just outside of Beacon. The two had flown down to Vale on their own, and touched down just outside a market.

It was rather odd, but no one seemed to notice or care in the slightest that two people had just flown into Vale's market district.

"Why are we doing this again?" Gohan asked. Her timing couldn't have been better. She knew that there would be no one going to the library at this time. Everyone was either scavenging for a last minute date, or they were out shopping like they were for the dance. Yang had already seen a lot of her friends from Signal around the place, checking out a few stores.

"We are getting you a fancy suit for the ball, and we are also looking for a nice, sexy dress for me to wear. We have to be the hottest pair there, I won't accept anything less," Yang replied quickly. Her words left no room for argument. The half Saiyan sighed. He did bring this on himself by accepting that bet. He should have known better than to blindly accept bets like that with girls like _her_.

"Well can you hurry up and pick a place? We've been walking around for hours…" he drawled in a tired tone. "It isn't that hard to find a nice pair of clothes to wear, is it?"

Yang whirled around, causing him to stop in his tracks. She crossed her arms and scowled. Did he seriously just let those words slip out? She was a woman with fine tastes in clothing and fashion. She absolutely had to find the right place.

"Gohan. _Oh_ , Gohan. This isn't a simple pair of clothes. We are going to the ball! It's a fashionable and formal event. Everyone will be dressed up! Hell, even my dork of a sister has her own red dress she's going to wear. I need a nice yellow one, or orange… or golden. I could do with some sparkles as well. And you need a good suit," Yang lectured. Gohan rolled his eyes. He still didn't see the point.

"Ah! Here we go, Coco said something about this being her favorite place. Let's have a look," Yang chirped as she walked inside, Gohan following with a tired look on his face. This was really starting to feel like a chore.

It was nice hanging out with Yang, but he would have preferred to do other things. He knew his mom liked clothes and often knitted him some, but he never wore them. He was fighting a lot back on Earth, he often wore his fighting clothes. He knew his mom only did it to take her mind off the grief that everyone she knew was dying around her.

"Oh, sweet! Jackpot!" the blonde exclaimed as she walked over to the suits and picked out a select few. She had about five in her arms before she tossed them to Gohan. He caught them and looked at her with slight annoyance. She gestured to the changing room, her meaning clear. The look on his face told her that he _really_ didn't want to do this.

She wasn't having it.

Nor did she care.

"Go on then, go change. I want to see you in those. Or… do I have to change you myself?" she grinned. It sounded like a threat, but at the same time, it sounded like she was being cheeky. Gohan really couldn't tell with her sometimes. A light blush crossed his cheeks.

"No thank you. I think I can manage just fine," Gohan muttered, slightly embarrassed, as he walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He could hear Yang snicker behind his back. All he could do was sigh to himself. He had seen the wedding photos back home of his mom and dad. The man looked rather confused and taken aback.

" _How my father managed to get into a suit is beyond me. I don't know how he would fit into these…_ " Gohan thought as he tried on the first set. He walked out to see Yang. She looked him up and down before shaking her head. He sighed once more. This was going to be a pain in the ass and he knew it.

This went on for some time. Yang's reactions ranged from an 'okay' to a flat out 'no way'. It wasn't until he got to the fifth set of clothes that she had given him that he came out and left Yang speechless. Her mouth dropped wide open, and a blush spread across her face. Gohan would have laughed if he hadn't been doing this for the last twenty minutes.

"Good enough?" he asked. Yang shook her head.

"Yeah, it's _enough_ alright. You look amazing in that," Yang drawled dreamily. Her lilac eyes locked onto his arms and upper torso. The Saiyan grunted as he pulled at the suit a little bit. It was rather tight. To be quite honest, he preferred his fighting clothes. He went back in and changed back into his more comfortable clothes before coming back out again.

"Alright, what's next?" Gohan asked. Yang grinned as she pulled out four bags with all sorts of dresses in them. Gohan felt his world drop into the deepest darkest abyss of boredom and torment.

"I got these to try on. I think there's about… fourteen of them. Yep! Stay right here, I need someone to tell me how I look," Yang replied quickly as she rushed into the changing room. Another groan of annoyance emitted from the hybrid. He resigned to his abhorrent fate and sat down to wait for her.

He looked across the shop to see a boy in green Chinese style clothing and long black hair, with a pink highlight. He recognized the young teen.

He'd seen the boy with JNPR before. Was that Lie Ren? The two of their eyes met, both men sitting down waiting for their respective women to exit the changing rooms. They both sighed simultaneously, it seemed that they were both stuck in the same situation.

"Women," they muttered in unison.

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While an unfortunate young Saiyan was out shopping with his blonde friend, the fiery girl's teammates were spending their time in their dorm room. The black bowed girl was occupying herself by doing her normal leisurely reading, while the heiress and the red caped wonder bickered with one another.

Blake liked to think she was good at tuning people out, but when it came to herless-than-favorablee younger, and shorter teammates, it was becoming increasingly harder to do just that. The red and white themed girls were trying on different dresses in the middle of their living quarters, causing Blake's eye to start twitching violently with annoyance. They were both so loud! Did they really have to do this here!?

"Ouch! Weiss, be more careful…" the petite girl cried. The heiress was trying her best to squeeze Ruby into her dress, but the girl was too busy acting like a toddler and moaning every chance she got. Plus, it seemed that since she last wore this thing, she had gained some weight.

"This is what happens when you eat too many of those cookies Ruby," Weiss pinched the very minimal love handles that Ruby seemed to have. They were very small, almost non-existent for a girl like her, but they were still there. All those cookies had to go somewhere other than her seemingly larger bust.

Which was something Weiss refused to acknowledge. The girl was fifteen, she was seventeen! It was embarrassing enough knowing that fact.

"EEK! Weiss quit it! That tickles!" Ruby squealed in a laughable manner. The heiress rolled her eyes in a dramatic fashion. This girl loved to test her patience, but for some reason she wouldn't want any other partner. Ruby had flaws, sure, but it helped Weiss forget about her pretentious and strict upbringing.

"You need to control what you shove down your throat! When did you get this dress Ruby?" Weiss demanded. Ruby looked rather sheepish and blushed at the answer.

"Well, my Dad did get it for me when I was twelve. It was for the Signal social and I had nothing to go in. Yang told me I was being ridiculous when I said I would go in my normal clothing," Ruby replied with an awkward smile. Weiss was _by far_ not amused.

"No wonder you can barely fit into this thing! It's almost three years old! You are hopeless!" Weiss exclaimed as she forced the zipper up her back. As the zipper went up, so did Ruby's chest, and seemingly, all the oxygen in her body was forced out.

"-Oh god- can't breathe-" the girl wheezed out. Weiss scowled. This girl was impossible sometimes.

"Learn to deal with it. I certainly have," she responded coldly. The faunus who was sitting up on her bed had clearly heard enough of the constant bickering between the two. She jumped down from her bed and stood in front of Ruby. Before the two could question what she was about to do, Blake leaned over and pulled a few laces on the dress, and pulled Ruby's stomach forward.

"PHEW…! Thanks Blake, I could barely breathe!" Ruby exclaimed as she caught her breath. The heiress stood behind her partner, tapping her foot in annoyance while Blake fixed whatever was wrong with Ruby's dress.

"I've learned a few tricks over the years. Now, if you two will stop being so loud, I have reading to do," Blake responded by hopping back up onto her bed and resuming her reading. Weiss turned to her, clad in her white dress. It seemed rather basic, but it suited the ice queen.

"I thought Yang convinced you to go to the dance. Are you not going to at least try on some dresses?" Weiss queried the jet-black haired girl. Blake regarded Weiss out of the corner of her eye, before bringing them back to her new book. It was something she picked out of the library yesterday. Gohan was very interested to see that she was reading a book like this.

"I don't need to try on any of those stupid dresses. Yang said she'd get me one while she's out with Gohan today," she responded curtly. Weiss could only frown while Ruby narrowed her eyes mischievously.

"Ohhhh… so that's where my sister ran off to today…" she giggled. The ice queen could only keep her gaze on Blake. It seemed there was more metaphorical frost on her today than usual. Weiss liked these events to be run perfectly, it's why she opted to take control of overseeing it, along with Yang.

She was happy she did. Weiss didn't want Yang bringing in any smoke machines, or disco balls. It was a formal dance, not a nightclub!

"Alright, whatever. Come along Ruby, it's time to put your heels on," Weiss groaned as she pulled out a pair of red and black high heels. The red themed gun-nut recoiled in comical horror at the shoes that Weiss had in her hands.

"Oh no! Not the lady stilts! Anything but those!" she screamed, causing Weiss to growl. If this air-head pushed her any closer to the mental abyss she would snap, and then things would not be pretty. Nor would they end well for their goofy team leader.

"Ruby. You _are_ going to wear these, whether you want to… or not," Weiss grounded out. The icy heiress stalked closer as Ruby backed away. The girl looked to her sister's partner for help. Blake's eyes, while not on her, were curved in mild amusement.

"Blake?" she cried, pleading for someone to help her in this terrifying situation. Blake turned her head, a gleam of pleasure in her eyes. The crimsonette knew at that moment she was on her own.

"They're not bad Ruby. Every girl has to wear them at some point," Blake chuckled in amusement. Her team leader really was a baby at times, but it brought a sense of joy to their otherwise; serious, exhausting life as Huntresses in training.

Ruby turned and bolted for the door. She ripped it open, almost hard enough to take it off its hinges. It was amazing what she could pull off when escaping from her view of certain doom.

Weiss was quickly on her tail, pulling Ruby back by the edges of her dress as the girl tried her best to escape the nightmare she was trapped in. Just then, a red headed amazon warrior walked past their door. Her gaze was one of confusion as she watched Ruby attempt to escape, and Weiss pulling her back in.

"Pyrrha! Help me!" Ruby cried, her arms reaching for the Mistral Champion. Pyrrha took a step back, an awkward smile gracing her face.

"Uh… hello again… may I ask what's going on here?" she questioned. Weiss grumbled and pulled harder. Ruby refused to budge, only moving in one set direction, that happened to be towards the exit of their room.

"Ruby doesn't like wearing heels, Weiss wants to put her in heels, Ruby wants out," Blake commented dryly from her bed. She flipped another page and continued to read as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Pyrrha looked back at the red and white partners with a small chuckle gracing her lips.

"Oh, I see," Pyrrha laughed. She then turned to the heiress, causing Ruby's heart to drop into her stomach. "Would you like some help there, Weiss?" she offered. Ruby's eyes widened in horror as Weiss let a gasp of relief exit her mouth.

"Would I!?" she almost screamed.

"PYRRHA, YOU TRAITOR!"

Pyrrha walked forward, pulling Ruby back into the RWBY dorm room.

"Alright, let's get started!" she chirped with an enthusiastic smile.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Her cries echoed throughout Beacon, but went mostly unheard.

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A certain fiery blonde brawler was making her way back to her dorm room carrying two bags. One had her marvelous dress inside of it along with some other products, and the other had her partner's dress inside it. Why the black-cat faunus couldn't be bothered to go shopping for her own dress was beyond her, so she offered to pick one up.

As she was walking down the hallway, she saw the door to her dorm room open. Blake Belladonna stormed out of the room with a scowl on her face. As the door was closing, Yang could have sworn she heard someone screaming. Whether or not it was a pained scream, she didn't know, but considering that Blake looked like she had her figurative feathers rustled, she assumed it had something to do with her younger sister.

"I got your dress!" Yang chirped as she threw the bag at Blake. The bow-wearing faunus caught it and looked inside. Her face lightened up a little bit after seeing what was inside. It seemed that Yang knew her tastes more than she had originally thought.

"Thanks, I love it," Blake responded with a slight smile. Yang shifted awkwardly as another girlish squeal came from their room. Even Jaune, Ren, and Nora were poking their heads out of their dorm to try and see what the commotion was all about. Yang looked to Blake for an answer as the jet-black haired girl rolled her eyes.

"Ruby _really_ doesn't like heels," Blake groaned. Yang burst into tears of laughter.

"Oh _god_ , they're really trying to put heels on _Ruby_?" Yang held her sides as she laughed. She remembered Ruby's first social back in Signal. The girl despised heels so much she went in her normal boots. Her father had so many bruises from being kicked with the stilts that he eventually gave up and let her go how she wanted to go. She still wore the dress though.

"Weiss didn't want her partner looking like a ' _fashionable-wreck_ '. Those are her words not mine…" Blake explained. Another crash from the room drew the eyes of both girls. Blake just sighed. "Pyrrha's in there too, no doubt having fun," Blake finished. Yang just continued laughing.

"Oh man… I have got to see this," Yang grinned as she pushed passed her friend. Before she got to the door she turned to see Blake walking off. "Hey, where are you going?" the blonde asked. The ex-White Fang member turned to her partner, a look of exhaustion on her face.

"They're being too loud. I'm going somewhere quiet to read. I want to have some enjoyment before my… _date,_ " Blake grounded out as if the word was a poison she was being forced to intake, "takes me to the dance," the cat-faunus responded. Yang grinned cheekily.

"Who's the lucky guy?" she asked. Blake rolled her eyes in a dramatic fashion.

"Sun," she drawled in mild disappointment. Yang laughed.

"Hey! He's pretty cool. Nice abs. You could have done _a lot_ worse," Yang chirped. Blake's expression seemed to drop even more as she thought about the other possible candidates she had to choose from. Now that she was thinking about it, she was actually kind of lucky to get Sun Wukong of _all_ people. It could have been worse…

There was always _Cardin_.

The mere thought of going to the dance with that boy actually made Blake gag. The need to vomit was almost increased ten-fold. Her thoughts drifted back to Sun, and immediately the horrible feeling went away. At least the boy was nice and had a sense of humor. God only knows what unlucky girl has to go with Cardin or any of his flock.

"You're right," Blake said suddenly. "I could have done a lot worse," she turned and walked off, heading in the direction of the library. Yang watched her leave, smiling to herself. She knew that look on Blake's face. The pure dread of thinking about going with anyone other than who she actually wanted to go with. Sun was the perfect choice for her. The two seemed to fit well despite Weiss's comments.

Turning back she opened the door and was greeted to a comical scene.

Pyrrha was holding down her little sister, pinning her to the floor. Her tiny body was struggling under the strength of the amazon warrior while the Ice Queen herself was using her special glyphs to keep Ruby's legs pinned to the floor. The little red-hooded girl was doing her best to move her feet and make it as hard as possible for the two to put her heels on.

"JUST. STAY. STILL!" Weiss growled as she managed to get one heel on. Ruby cried out in comical fashion.

"NEVER! I WON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!" Yang glanced over to Pyrrha who had seemingly found the entire situation to be hilarious. She had Ruby's arms pinned to the floor and the wild crimsonette was trying her best to bite Pyrrha. The amazon warrior was just laughing in an elegant fashion at the younger girl's attempts to free herself.

"DONE!" Weiss exhaled. She had finally gotten the last heel on Ruby's other foot. Pyrrha let go as the glyphs disappeared. The young crimsonette shot to her feet and threw her arms up in a victorious fashion.

"I'M FREE!" she screamed to the heavens. However when she went to take one step forward, she tripped immediately and fell face first into Yang's chest. The blonde looked down in amusement to see Ruby's face twist into one of displeasure and defeat. The girl pouted, an adorable look taking over her face. Yang just wrapped her arms around her little sister.

"Aw! Don't you just look beautiful!?" the fiery blonde exclaimed as she pressed her face up against Ruby's cheek. The little red-hooded sister accepted the embrace grudgingly. Her tiny feet were starting to hurt. She was rather surprised that she and Weiss shared the same foot size. "My cute little baby sister is growing up!"

"I don't like stilts," Ruby moaned. Weiss stood up with an annoyed look on her face.

"Next time," she growled, pointing at Yang. "You're dressing your own stupid sister!" Weiss stormed out of the room and headed towards the gym. She had thoroughly exceeded her quota for stupid red-hooded girls for the day. She needed to be as far away from Ruby as possible to regain the sanity she had just lost.

"That was fun!" Pyrrha grinned. Ruby pouted even further. Yang just grinned.

"Now we need to teach you how to walk in them!" she laughed. Pyrrha brightened up.

"I know the perfect way to start!"

The crimsonette responded in the only way she knew how.

"SOMEONE, SAVE MEEEEEEEE!"

Her cries still went unheard.

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* * *

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After spending an extended period of time, shopping with his good friend Yang Xiao Long, the Saiyan hybrid had opted to return to the library for further work. He had to do some routine checks and take inventory of the books that had been checked out, and double check if they had been returned on time.

Normal work responsibilities had to be carried out after all.

It was his only source of income.

He had about an hour and a half before he was due to turn up at team RWBY's dorm door to take Yang to the dance, and now that it was getting closer, he was starting to get a little nervous. He wasn't completely savvy on the idea of dances. The increasing feeling of his nerves acting up was a sign that he _really_ didn't want to go. But alas, he had promised Yang that he would.

As he was closing the library, he spotted Blake reading in an isolated corner that was lit by a few lights around her. She was lying on a beanbag casually flicking through the pages of the book she had taken out only recently after she learned about life energy. He strolled up to her and waved, catching her attention.

"Hey, shouldn't you be getting ready for the dance? It's about an hour away," Gohan informed the stoic cat girl. Blake merely looked up at him, her amber impassive eyes showing just how much she cared about the dance. It was quite obvious she wanted to go about as much as he did.

"I'm fine. Besides," Blake gestured to her scroll. She had about a good fifty messages from Yang, Ruby, and someone named Sun Wukong. "I've had enough reminders as it is. I'm just getting some reading in before I go," Blake replied.

"Well, I'm closing up. So, am I going to have to carry you out of here, or will you just leave like a normal person?" Gohan laughed. Blake frowned, a light blush covering her cheeks before she dismissed the motion. She got up and placed the book under her arm.

"I'll just ignore that," Blake muttered, looking away from the Saiyan boy with mild embarrassment. "This book has so many interesting things written in it. I saw it had a large portion dedicated to learning about ki, or life energy as you call it," Blake explained as the two walked to the exit. The Saiyan glanced at the title.

"Legends and Myths of Remnant?" he read off the title. It was a brown book with fancy cursive writing on the front cover. It even looked like it was made of leather, he could only imagine when it'd been written.

"It's quite old. There are multiple copies all over Remnant and different public libraries. It's filled with legends and myths that have been recorded since the birth of mankind. There's one particular story about ki and life energy that is very interesting," Blake replied as she opened the page to the chapter she was reading.

"Oh? What does it say?" he asked with a curious expression. The black bowed girl merely sighed as she flipped through the pages of the chapter. It was quite long, and it explained in depth a lot of mysteries surrounding the early times of Remnant's days.

"It tells a story of the time when mankind was trying to learn how to adapt aura and dust in the way we do now," Blake started. "Apparently, there were various groups of monks that would learn the ways of ki… or life energy in ancient temples scattered around the world. While mankind was attempting to harness the energies that dust provided, a great war broke out between these peaceful monks," she explained in broad terms. It was much more informative than that, but for the sake of the conversation, she cut it down to the important parts.

"Oh really? I haven't read about that anywhere before," Gohan exclaimed in mild shock. Blake nodded in understanding.

"It's just a legend, doesn't mean it's real, but all legends start somewhere. This one explains how the destructive force of ki eventually died out after the war. It also explains how Remnant got its name," she pointed out as she found the page. The boy skimmed the page a bit, his eyes widening. Blake merely smirked.

"Ever wonder why our maps show such a small land mass? Atlas, Vacuo, Mistral, Vale and Menagerie, all _remnants_ of a much bigger land mass that sunk during this war that took place thousands of years ago," she explained. The cat faunus looked up into the Saiyan's eyes.

"I guess if you apply this logic, it makes sense why no one has really heard of ki before. It's a legend that has since died out, and been kept a secret by the people who know how to use it, because they know what it can do to the world if it got out," Blake concluded. The boy placed a hand on his chin in thought.

"That's rather unsettling if it's true. At least it gives a reason why no one's heard of it before. It's not easy to learn, but I would have expected at least _some_ people to know about it. What other legends are in that book?" he asked with a curious expression. Blake merely shrugged.

"Nothing worth mentioning. Just magical mystical artifacts that seem ridiculous in nature. Swords, genie lamps… you name it. There are also sections about ancient guardians and legendary warriors but most of it seems irrelevant to what I wanted to find out," Blake elaborated with a bored expression. Gohan merely chuckled lightly.

"Oh well. It's just a legend. Who knows if they're really true or not?" he laughed. Blake didn't respond the way he had expected, opting to remain silent. The half Saiyan suddenly felt very awkward. Blake wasn't the easiest girl to hold a conversation with, was she?

"I guess we better get going, otherwise we are going to be late for the dance!" the Saiyan laughed again. Blake merely rolled her eyes in a generic fashion.

"Sure… don't want to make my date wait any longer for me than he already has…" Blake drawled. That night was going to be one hell of a experience, but not in the way either would expect.

=/=

* * *

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The moment Gohan arrived at the door to walk Yang to the dance, he felt a small part of himself wishing that he wasn't doing this. How had his life gone from battling a pair of blood-thirsty androids to taking a friend to the dance in just a measly three weeks? He wasn't sure if he would ever be able to answer that question properly.

He sighed and knocked.

"I'm here to pick up the unmatched beauty that is Yang Xiao Long," Gohan drawled. It sounded entirely ridiculous, but that's what she'd told him to say. He wished he hadn't said it. Not only did he sound ridiculous, but he looked that way too. He hated all suits though, so it was probably a biased opinion. His outfit had golden trimmings to match Yang's hair and the dress she had picked out. He pulled at the necktie, it was uncomfortable as hell. He had to ask _Jaune_ of all people to help him with it.

The door swung open to reveal Yang in her dress. While she didn't look too happy, she _did_ look stunning. Her hair was done perfectly, her makeup was on, and Gohan could smell her sweet perfume from where he was standing. Yang was dressed beautifully. He wasn't one for cheesy romance, but he had to admit he was captivated for a moment.

She was wearing a long golden dress with flame patterns lining down the side of it and across the bottom edges. The flame patterns were a dark orange to mix and blend well with the golden hues. She was also wearing black heels to go with it all.

"You're late Gohan, none of my teammates were here to hear you say it," Yang moaned. Gohan sighed in relief.

"Good, I didn't want anyone to hear me say it anyway," Gohan replied. The beautiful blonde just rolled her eyes and smiled. She held out her hand and Gohan took it, wrapping and intertwining her arm with his. She gave him a friendly smile. It was obvious to anyone, even she could see he was uncomfortable. She decided to ease the tension.

"Hey, relax man. We're just going to have fun. Trust me, I haven't been to a dance with a boy before. We had a social at Signal, but I rejected all the guys that asked me because I wasn't really interested in doing these sorts of things at the time," Yang reassured the Saiyan boy.

"I haven't been to a dance _ever_. I have no idea what to expect or do," Gohan retorted with an uncertain expression. Yang nudged him a little. She wouldn't have her dance partner be all tense like this, otherwise neither of them would enjoy the experience. That was the last thing she wanted.

"Like I said. Chill. It's just a dance. It's not like we're on a date or anything," Yang grinned mischievously. Gohan rolled his eyes. It sure looked like a date to him. He was dressed up, Yang was dressed up. It certainly looked like she had put the effort into this. It almost felt like she was trying to make him notice her.

She was succeeding, but not in the way she probably wanted.

Gohan and Yang walked towards Beacon's gym where the dance was held. Weiss had volunteered to be the entry maiden. A position Yang was supposed to do before she got a plus one. Yang refused to call it a date much to her team's ire. As far as Gohan and Yang were concerned, they were going as friends. That, and Gohan didn't know the first thing about romance.

Once they got there, they got settled in on the dance floor. Yang had waved to Ruby and winked to Blake who was with Sun Wukong on this occasion. It was nice that the girl had found someone to go with, and Sun seemed like a good pick for her.

Gohan looked around. Apparently, he wasn't the only one that was super nervous. He saw a blue haired guy actively avoiding the dancing area and multiple other males in the crowd seemed to be awkwardly dancing and trying to avoid the eyes of others and their female partners.

When the music started, that was the cue for Gohan to start with Yang. It was a slow song to start off with. The two embraced each other awkwardly. Even in his flustered state, Gohan could tell Yang was equally embarrassed. He could almost feel her heartbeat, he was that close to her.

" _I can't believe I'm actually doing this,_ " Gohan thought. Yang winked.

"See… this isn't so ba-OUCH!" Yang grit her teeth as the awkward Saiyan accidently stepped on her foot.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to," Gohan apologized. Yang breathed out and in, calming herself down. He really wasn't that good at dancing, was he? He was an amazing fighter, he could knock her senseless around an arena, but he couldn't dance to save his soul. He was so lucky that he was handsome, nice, and cute… and incredibly strong.

"It's alright. Just try not to do it again… please? That actually kind of hurt," Yang advised. The son of Goku could only nod in response. After a while and a few mistakes, Gohan was finally starting to get a hold of this whole dancing thing. While he was no professional, he had managed to get into a rhythm where he was no longer stepping on Yang's toes.

"Hey…" Gohan grinned. "I'm actually getting the hang of this. It's kind of cool, and sort of relaxing," he said honestly. It was a slow dance. He had his hand on the blonde's lower back. She just smirked as they both moved in rhythm to the tune of the song.

"Careful there, Stud. Any lower and I might get the wrong idea," Yang grinned. Instantly, Gohan moved his hand up her back causing Yang to actually crack up laughing. "God, you are such a prude! I was only kidding. Damn you're easy," she laughed. Gohan merely blushed. This girl was simply impossible.

"Yang… come on, that's not fair," he moaned. The girl made an uncharacteristic snort.

"Jeez, just lighten up already. Sometimes you are just so blunt and dense. Just smile and live a little! We're dancing here," she reassured. The half Saiyan only wished it were just that simple. Living his life on the battlefield had caused his fun side to be lost in the metaphorical darkness. Sometimes he had trouble finding it.

" _Believe me, I am trying,_ " he thought. She noticed the troubled look on his face.

"Okay, seriously. What's up with you?" she questioned. Gohan groaned slightly.

"It's like I said Yang… I've never experienced _anything_ remotely like this before. My life has just been one constant battle after another. It's just going to take some getting used to," he admitted. Yang rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Aw, you'll be alright. Just go with the flow and try to enjoy the moment. I don't know what you've been through, but try and forget about it tonight, alright? Enjoy yourself," she replied with a smile. The slow dance had sped up, pushing the Saiyan and his blonde partner to sway a little faster to the beat.

"Thanks Yang," Gohan grinned. "Really, thanks."

"No problem! It's what friends do right?" she replied. Why did that sentence sting a little more than she had realized? When it came out of her mouth, she didn't feel like she had said the right words.

Over on the sidelines, Ozpin watched with mild amusement as he observed the awkward dancing duo.

" _You wanted a normal life Gohan… well, this is as normal as it gets, I hope you're enjoying it,_ " Ozpin thought as he sipped out of his mug. This was the only time of year where he could openly come here and find amusement in his future Hunters and Huntresses falling all over themselves. Oh, he remembered the time when Qrow asked Summer to the dance.

The poor fools had no clue how to dance.

It had been a disaster. Taiyang and Raven had never let the two live it down for the time that team was together. Good times could only last so long, after all, peaceful and happier times must come to an eventual end.

After a few songs, Yang had parted ways with Gohan and had met up with Blake. She had promised the girl a dance after all. Blake had to admit, Yang was better dressed than she was. But Blake wasn't the type of girl to play dress up, she never was.

"Well… you look like you really tried for this one," Blake commented as the two danced. Yang smirked.

"Like I'd come here with my plus one looking anything less than stunning," she said gesturing to herself. "I wasn't going to wear that bland dress Weiss was going to give me. No, I decided to put some actual effort into my appearance tonight. You obviously like it," Yang replied. Blake smiled.

"Of course, Yang. You look stunning." Blake praised. Yang grinned.

"You don't look so bad yourself Blakey. Wanted to impress Mr. Wukong, did we?" she said. Blake scowled and blushed.

"Just… shut up and dance."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Gohan had decided he needed some air and made his way to the balcony. Once he got up there he sat on the edge of the handrail and let his feet dangle over the edge. As he looked up at the sky, his thoughts drifted to home. His home back on Earth. He wondered how they were doing.

There was some feeling there. He wanted to get back and tell Bulma and Trunks that he was alive. His mother had Grandpa Ox to look after her. It had been thirteen years after all, per what Ozpin had told him.

He had been in a coma for _thirteen years..._

Why that long though? Surely it shouldn't have been that long… And those voices, the ones he heard while he was trapped in his subconscious. Salem… Rose… Android. Those words… thinking about them now for the first time bothered him. What did they mean? What was he missing?

A voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, I didn't realize someone was up here," a voice sounded from behind him. A beautiful woman in a red dress had stumbled onto his spot of peace, and she looked rather depressed. She had red hair and a stunning golden circlet on her head. He had seen her walk around with Jaune and his team, but he never bothered to talk to them before.

"Oh, it's alright. I don't own the spot. I'm just out here for some air. Parties aren't really my thing," the Saiyan reassured. The girl smiled weakly. She seemed to play with her hands a lot. A nervous habit no doubt. She also looked quite insecure… he wondered why?

"I'm Pyrrha," she stated. Gohan smiled at this. Was this the girl who was the supposed celebrity? She certainly had the looks of one, not a single flaw in her figure. The girl looked like she was the type to be training every single day. She also had quite the large reserve of energy inside of her, it was really impressive.

"Hi Pyrrha, I'm Gohan. It's nice to meet you," he responded politely. The girl's mouth opened in realization. She _knew_ she had heard that name somewhere before.

"Aren't you Yang's date to this dance? And aren't you the Librarian?" she asked. Gohan laughed and nodded. She certainly was well informed.

"Yeah, you're right. I sort of lost a bet to Yang, and she… well, I wouldn't say forced me to be her date, but here I am. And yes, I am the Librarian. Ozpin was kind enough to give me the position considering the last one retired not too long ago," Gohan explained. Pyrrha lightened up at that. It wasn't too far-fetched that he had lost a bet to the hot-headed blonde. That girl did whatever it took to win any bet she started.

"I see, that's not surprising if you went up against Yang of all people. She is quite competitive. What team are you a part of?" she asked with mild curiosity. The son of Goku chuckled lightly. No one had asked him that yet. He had wondered when that question would come up.

"Oh, I'm not a part of any team. I guess you can say I'm part of the staff here at Beacon. I started about three weeks ago," Gohan said. Pyrrha was rather taken aback.

"My mistake, you appear to be a student! I could only gather as much from your appearance," Pyrrha replied with moderate shock.

"I guess it's alright to make that assumption. I'm only sixteen," he chuckled. Pyrrha was even more taken aback by this. She had never heard of a staff member being so young before. No wonder she thought he was a student! He was younger than she was!

"That's quite young to be a part of the staff team, don't you think?" Pyrrha queried. Gohan shrugged. He was just a librarian. All he did was scan books and make sure any books weren't missing from inventory. It wasn't hard to catch students trying to steal them either. With his senses, he could see them from miles away. It wasn't like he was a teacher… but that was slowly starting to change.

"I don't really mind. I'm not looking to become a warrior or a Huntsman. Plus, I'm guessing that the headmaster has some sort of reason for putting me in charge of the library, otherwise he wouldn't have done it in the first place," he responded curtly.

He was just a librarian; did that really mean he was part of the staff of Beacon, or just a casual worker? Regardless, he was making lien off it, so he didn't really mind. There was also no need to fight any life or death battles. So far, he really did like it here. It was peaceful… no stress.

"I see. So… are you enjoying yourself here?" Pyrrha asked, attempting to extend the conversation. Gohan opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly in the back of his mind something went off. It was a familiar feeling, one that he dreaded. It was something he was so used to sensing that it caused him to look in the direction he was sensing it from.

Pyrrha caught onto it and frowned slightly. He extended his senses around Beacon's grounds. He was almost stunned by what he was sensing. In and all around the CCT tower, there was fighting going on. The guards' energies that he had sensed around the CCT, were dropping dangerously low.

Gohan was momentarily torn between letting it go and investigating. He knew he'd end up in a fight, but his righteous heart insisted that he go and investigate. There was no way he couldn't ignore this. It was like his very being _demanded_ that he go and involve himself with whatever was happening over there.

"Is… Is everything alright?" she questioned, looking at his thoughtful expression.

" _Damn it all… and I was actually enjoying the night so far…_ " Gohan thought.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," Gohan responded in a rushed tone. A white aura exploded around him. Pyrrha had to shield her eyes as Gohan took off from the ground and into the air. Her eyes widened in shock. Had he just flown away!? Was she dreaming? Last time she checked, no one could just fly like that!

"What… what just happened?" Pyrrha asked herself out-loud. She looked around, making sure that she was the only one who had just witnessed what had happened. That was Gohan… the Librarian. He was Yang's date to this dance, wasn't he? Did he just… _fly_ away?

Turning on her heels she hurried back inside. She had to figure this out. What had he been in such a hurry for? And his face… it was so serious and almost… chilling. The look in his eyes were something clearly dark and it almost seemed angry.

"Oh, Pyrrha!" a voice exclaimed with surprise. She looked up from her thoughts to find the boy she wished she could have come to this event with. Jaune Arc, dressed clad in a handsome, slick black suit. Oh, how she just wanted to hold him in a slow dance. She so desperately wanted to feel like a normal girl… but here she was, making her way towards Yang to question what she had just seen.

"Oh! Jaune! I'm sorry, let me move out of your way. I'm in a bit of a hurry," Pyrrha replied as she maneuvered around him. Jaune didn't get the time to say anything else before the amazon warrior descended into the crowd. He stood watching in her general direction, a curious look on her face.

Why did she look so confused?

It had taken a few moments but the redheaded wonder managed to find who she was looking for. Yang was standing over by the punch bowl with her partner Blake. The two were sharing an obviously amusing conversation as the two were laughing after pretty much every statement. Yang caught sight of her and waved.

"Hey P-Money! What's with the look?" she commented looking at Pyrrha's obvious distressed face. The redhead had so many questions! Last time she checked, she had no idea of a semblance that gave the user the ability to fly!

"Yang! It's Gohan! Are you aware that he could fly?" Pyrrha exclaimed. Her voice was mostly drowned out by the music, but she was close enough for both Yang and Blake to hear her. The two girls glanced at each other, sharing knowing looks before returning to Pyrrha.

"Uh, sure. He is quite talented, isn't he?" Yang played off with a nervous smile.

"It's his semblance," Blake added. Yang gave her partner a thankful look.

Immediately Pyrrha calmed down. It was rather new to her. She didn't know of a semblance that allowed flight. There were so many types of semblances that maybe flight was one of them. But still… she liked to think she was well informed. She had never heard of one before!

"Oh… okay. It's just, I didn't think that even semblances can give someone the ability to fly. I've never heard of it before, or seen it for a matter of fact," Pyrrha stated. Yang waved the girl off.

"Naaaa, surely there are _other_ people that are able to fly. Come on Pyrrha, you know how unique a semblance can be. Are you sure you didn't drink any of the punch? I may have spiked it a bit…" Yang winked in a playful manner. Pyrrha shook her head dismissively.

"I've just never heard of anything like it before. I've heard of a semblance that can change the user's shape, even camouflaging, regrow body parts… but never have I heard of, or seen one capable of flight before," Pyrrha stated. Blake raised an eyebrow.

"How did you find out he could do that? I know from experience that he's very… _secretive,_ " Blake grounded out as she glared at Yang out of the corner of her eye. The blonde grinned nervously in response. Yang took a drink to stop herself from chuckling nervously. "With his semblance," Blake finished. Pyrrha merely looked a bit stunned at this.

"Secretive? He took off from the balcony while I was talking to him! He simply said that he needed to go and flew off. I didn't even have time to ask where he was going," Pyrrha explained. The black cat-girl was about to reply but was interrupted by the blonde standing next to her sputtering the contents of her drink all over the floor.

" **WHAT!?** " Yang exclaimed. Blake had to cover her ears in pain as Yang's booming shriek practically had her poor kitten ears ringing, and her human ears! Seriously, she could hear very well, and Yang screaming over the constant raving music did not help in the slightest.

" **Did my date just ditch me and leave the party!?** " Yang growled dangerously. Her mind was suddenly travelling at a hundred miles an hour, her thoughts focusing in on only Gohan, and making sure that the next time she saw him, she'd beat the ever-loving stuffing out of him.

"Probably," Blake snorted, a small grin on her face. Yang turned to her, blood red eyes stabbing her over and over with a judgemental glare.

" **I will bite you in your sleep,** " Yang promised. Blake merely shrunk away comically.

"Please don't..."

"So where did he go?" the red-headed beauty asked. The fiery blonde growled.

"I don't even care, but I hope he's having fun. He promised he'd dance with me one more time before the night was over," She responded bitterly. Before the girls could discuss the topic further, the crowd behind them parted, laughing and pointing at a blonde-haired boy who made his way through to Pyrrha.

Sure enough, there was Jaune Arc… in a girlish white dress.

"Oh. My. God." Yang drawled in disbelief, while Blake simply stared. Was this really the boy that was trying to get Weiss to go to the dance with him? Unbelievable! The kind of bravery it took to subject yourself to this kind of public humiliation… she had to admire him for that.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha exclaimed, a small smile gracing her lips. She brought her hand up to her mouth to stop herself from bursting into uncontrollable laughter. "You didn't have to!" she laughed. Jaune merely smiled as he held out his hand for her to take.

"Hey, I made a promise, didn't I? An Arc never goes back on his word. Now are you going to give me a dance?" he asked with a friendly grin. Before Pyrrha took his hand, she had to ask.

"How did you know that I didn't have a date?" she asked. Jaune merely chuckled.

"Neptune told me. Said that you came to this dance looking all alone," Jaune replied. Pyrrha smiled as she took his hand.

"In that case… I'd love to dance with you Jaune." He pulled her away from the two RWBY members as the music started. Blake and Yang had to watch, feeling only slightly jealous of the red-headed amazon warrior. It was every girl's childish dream to have a dance with a daring, handsome prince charming like Jaune was in that moment.

"What do you know, this night wasn't so bad after all," Blake admitted with a small smile as she watched as team JNPR went into a group dance. As the music kicked up a notch, Yang could only chuckle.

"Well, I guess we can't all be winners," Yang laughed bitterly. She turned to Blake with a grin on her face. Blake immediately paled.

"No Yang wait-!" Blake was immediately pulled into the crowd by the flirtatious blonde as the music started booming.

"If my date ditched me, you can be my new date!" Yang exclaimed. Blake merely groaned.

"...Don't even go there."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Gohan flew towards the CCT and dropped down just outside the entrance, taking a look around. Guards were lying on the ground, unmoving. They had obviously been attacked, and they were mostly unconscious. A fury burnt inside of Gohan. No matter where he went, it seemed that people around him were always being hurt.

He walked inside and noticed that there were more unconscious guards. And from the looks of it, it had only just happened. He looked up to see the elevator doors close. He didn't see who was inside, but he could sense that they had just taken out two more guards in there.

Gohan dashed outside of the building and took off into the sky, flying up to the top floor. He was intent on finding out who was doing this. As he got to the top he looked around through the window into the empty room. A lone figure had just sat down at the desk and started typing away at the keyboard.

His assailant was sitting there in a pure black outfit, and with a mask on her face. She was trying to hide her appearance and identity.

Whoever this female was, she clearly wasn't here for the party.

Gohan charged up some energy in his hand and threw it forward. It shattered the window and thundered towards the mysterious figure. The figure in the mask had just enough time to dodge before the attack hit. Whatever she'd been doing was completely ruined, since the computers had been destroyed by the blast. He landed inside the tower and stared down the figure.

"I don't know what you were trying to do, but it's obvious that it wasn't good. Give yourself up, or I'll make you, and trust me when I say that you don't want that," Gohan scowled. When a threat was present, his mood would change vastly to a more serious and displeased one. He had never been one for beating around the bush when it came to threats.

Regardless of how high or low they were, threats were just that. Threats. He had seen what terrible evil even small hazards could cause. He could sense this woman's energy. She wasn't strong enough to even remotely pose a threat to him, but that's not what bothered him. What was she doing up here, and why had she taken out every guard to get here?

She remained silent, but he could see the frustration and anger on her face. Her molten gold eyes betrayed her emotions. She summoned two swords and charged him with blinding speed. Gohan quickly got down and readied himself for her attack.

She was fast, much faster than Yang was. He was forced to focus on the battle as he blocked and dodged every single strike the woman threw his way. She seemed to switch between having two swords and a bow and arrow. All of them were somehow summoned from glass-like shards and had some sort of magical property to them. Gohan assumed it was the girl's semblance.

"You're not going to beat me. Give up!" Gohan growled as he blocked another attack. She was persistent, he'd give her that. She was clearly very skilled as well. Every strike she threw at him was aiming to incapacitate him. She wasn't gunning to kill him, just to provide enough time for herself to escape.

But Gohan could see through every single move and action this woman was throwing his way. He was much more akin to fighting the Androids. They were quicker, deadlier, and every strike they threw was aimed to kill and cause as much pain as possible. This woman had trouble comparing to even one of them.

"I don't want to hurt you! Give yourself up, or I _will_ make you!" Gohan grunted as he blocked another attack. He battered away her petty weapons like they were sticks clashing against a metal wall. As the fight went on, her frustration was clearly starting to show. It had been close to five minutes, and she had yet to inflict any damage at all.

The elevator thundered to life as it descended to the ground to pick up the people that had called it. She was running out of time, and if she spent any longer here, she would be caught. That was not part of her plan, and so far her night was taking a turn for the worst.

Gohan detected a massive surge of power as the woman's eyes started glowing. He narrowed his eyes, he wasn't about to let her do whatever she was attempting.

This time he powered up, his speed increasing. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. Pulling her off balance, he sent a bone shattering kick to her ribs. It was a brutal move to do, but he had put just enough power into his strike to do enough damage to incapacitate her.

His foot connected, and he could feel her ribs crack, shattering and depleting her aura completely in the process. The woman grunted as she was thrown backwards. She collided with a wall, denting and cracking from the force she was thrown into it with. She moaned and growled in pain as she struggled to get up. Gohan could see a bit of blood drip from her mouth as she looked up at him with hatred in her eyes.

The elevator door opened as Ruby, Ironwood, and Ozpin came out in a rather hurried pace. Gohan's vision drifted towards the newcomers for a few moments, and then back to the woman. Gohan's eyes widened as her form literally withered and fell apart in an ash-like substance. Her energy completely disappearing along with her physical appearance. How had she managed to do that? Was it some form of instant transmission?

She had escaped!

He couldn't even sense where she had gone!

A quiet growl echoed out of his throat. There was nothing he hated more than letting potential threats escape.

Was he growing soft? Of course he was… he hadn't trained at all since he had gotten here. Aside from sparring with Yang, he hadn't done any of his own training. He didn't feel the need. This world seemed to be doing fine before he arrived.

"What's going on here!?" Ironwood demanded. Gohan looked at the spot where the woman had been. A small stain of blood was all that remained of her being there. Someone was stalking around Beacon in the guise of a student. What's even more worrisome was that he didn't get a proper read on her Ki so he had no idea who he had fought. A scowl permeated his face, his frustration with the fact that she had escaped annoyed him.

"Someone attacked the tower and tried to steal information, from what I can see," Gohan explained, gesturing to the smouldering pile of computer equipment that he had blown up. "I destroyed it before she had the chance get anything out of it." Gohan finished. Ironwood narrowed his eyes while Ruby just looked confused. Ozpin seemed content with that answer.

"Thank you, Gohan. I am pleased that you could put a stop to whatever our attacker was doing. If you would, I would like to speak to you further on this tomorrow. For now, I'll place this area off-limits and double security," Ozpin informed. Ironwood looked like he wanted to argue but kept his mouth shut.

"Thanks, I guess," he responded rather bitterly. He was still annoyed that he had missed the girl escaping. How had she managed to do something like that? Before he could think about it anymore though, Ruby gasped.

"Heeeey…" she drawled. "You're the boy that Yang hangs out with!" she exclaimed. Gohan sighed. This was going to be an interesting time on Remnant indeed.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Cinder was beyond furious.

Instead of retreating into the partly like she had originally planned, she was forced to fall back to her assigned dorm to treat her newly acquired wounds. Emerald and Mercury had slipped out of the party unnoticed to help her.

They were currently in their dorm, where Cinder was lying on her bed.

Her ribs had been severely damaged and cracked. She was surprised that she'd managed to escape at all. Her aura was almost shot and her body was quite frankly, a mess. She couldn't believe that it only took one kick from that boy to put her in such a state. He was clearly no ordinary person, no one was capable of such a feat. Not even the fully trained Huntsman.

"Jesus, what happened!?" Emerald gasped as she saw the blood leaking from her boss's mouth. Cinder had her teeth clenched in agony as Mercury watched the door carefully. Their plans for tonight had completely been ripped asunder by one boy.

"I told you two… to watch the… damn party guests!" Cinder struggled to say. Emerald felt a wave of guilt crush her while Mercury just sighed. He wasn't exactly scared of Cinder, he was just working for her. He didn't even feel sympathy for her obvious pain, but he would rather do his job than have her kill him later.

"We did. How were we supposed to know that kid could fly? He ditched the party and went up to the balcony. There was no way we could have known he was capable of something like that," Mercury defended. Emerald could only fear what their boss was going to do to them.

"Besides, there's no view from the balcony to the CCT. There's no way he could have seen you, or any of the guards," Emerald added. Cinder slammed her hand onto the nightstand in anger, pain, and frustration. She had been so close! She was in the clear, but it was all because of that blasted boy! How could he fly? How could he face off against her like that and have outclassed her in such a way!?

How could he have enough strength to do so much damage with a single hit!?

"Whoever… that boy is… _watch him_ …I have to contact Roman and Adam. There must… be changes to the plan," Cinder breathed out. Her body was wracked with pain, but she was learning to deal with it rather quickly. Still, on her mind, she was replaying that fight. She had been attempting to incapacitate him.

Killing students or people around the grounds warranted more trouble than it was worth. She couldn't afford to have killed anyone so she wasn't going all out. She didn't use the full power of the Maiden that she had stolen, but she was starting to regret it. This… whoever this boy was, he was not normal. He held a power that warranted serious questions.

"Is… is he really that dangerous? One person to cause a change to all of our plans?" Emerald asked. Mercury was interested as well. Cinder was incredibly powerful. Enough to scare Roman Torchwick and Adam Taurus into submission. Granted Roman wasn't really scared, and Adam was forced to submit, but the point was… he knew Cinder was extremely powerful and skilled.

"He… hit me… _once_ ," Cinder emphasized. Emerald and Mercury's eyes widened at that. "This is the result of that hit," Cinder coughed up a bit of blood. She was seriously damaged. But her Aura would heal her in due time. She would recover, but now they had to be wary.

There was someone here capable of flattening someone like Cinder in one hit! She was capable of scaring Adam Taurus into submission with her incredible powers. If there was someone here at Beacon that was capable of doing this to their _all-so-powerful_ boss, that was something that really sent chills down their spines...

Even with half of the Maiden's abilities, Cinder still felt powerless compared to him. She knew… she knew even if she did use it, she still would have been defeated just as easily. All she could do was use it to escape. Whatever he was, it was beyond even her understanding and power.

Why?

Because the boy didn't even look like he was trying. He looked like he was trying to give _mercy_ to her. Offer her a way out. It made her sick. Not only was she hurt badly, but her pride had been insulted and damaged in the process.

"Go back to the party," Cinder ordered. Emerald and Mercury looked at each other before looking back at their boss, concern clear in their eyes. "People will start asking questions. I don't want to risk anyone suspecting us! I'll be fine," Cinder grunted in pain. When the two still hadn't moved, her anger flared.

"GO!"

Emerald and Mercury were out the door in seconds, leaving Cinder lying on her bed in agony. It was incredibly hard to breathe, and she knew she was going to start coughing soon. She could feel the cracks and broken bones.

" _How is that even possible?_ " she thought in confusion. She pushed herself up from her bed and made her way towards the bathroom. Pushing open the door she stumbled inside and placed her arms on the basin. She looked up into the mirror.

She was a mess, and her eyes reflected the pain she was feeling.

She stripped down, she needed to shower and see the extent of the damage. No doubt there was going to be bruising, but it was nothing her aura wouldn't heal in due time. But that was the problem. With the extent of her injuries, she was bound to be bedridden for at least a couple of days.

She examined where the boy had kicked her. The mark was red, and outlining the injury, the mark was starting to blacken horribly. She couldn't believe she had been damaged so badly. She was lucky to have escaped at all. Ozpin, and the general arriving provided her with a small enough window to escape through.

" _If I had been caught… it would have been all over… Salem would destroy me if had been captured,_ " Cinder thought. She traced her fingers over the injury and cringed as new sensations of pain spread all throughout her body.

" _I can't tell her I've been damaged like this. She will doubt my ability! NO! I can't let that happen. She can't know… but I must inform her that I've failed in this task. I just hope she is in a forgiving mood,_ " Cinder growled in her thoughts. The last thing she wanted was to get on the wrong side of Salem. As much as she hated the woman, she had promised her the power she desired.

" _Come on Cinder. You want to be strong. You want to be powerful,_ " Cinder glared at the mirror, her golden eyes glowing ever so slightly. " _You want to be feared. You will do whatever it takes to get this power,_ " Cinder promised herself. It was her mantra, she lived by it for longer than she could remember. Salem could almost read her thoughts, and she had approached her with an offer she would have been a fool to refuse.

" _And once I have it… only then can I be free from her tyranny… only then can I truly instill fear into the people of Remnant,_ " Cinder thought with a murky grin. She immediately coughed and threw up blood into the basin. She looked at it with disgust. That boy would pay for doing this to her.

Moving over to the shower, she switched it on and stood inside. The hot water refreshing her mind and allowing her a moment of peace.

She needed time to think.

Time to plan.

But how would she possibly stand against someone who could do this to her? She knew this would take some pondering, and she was unsure if she would ever come up with an answer.

=/=

* * *

=/=

"Why do I have to wear this again?" Blake asked. Yang had her dressed in skin tight workout leggings and a lacy, skin tight, black push-up bra. According to Yang, it helped with flexibility and helped with the training that she was about to endure.

"Because, it's what I wear when I train with Gohan. Trust me, it helps," she chirped quietly. Blake blushed uncontrollably. To her, it was ridiculous to wear something like this. She had no idea what kind of training she was about to go into, but she felt so exposed. She always knew Yang was comfortable with her body, but Blake was more reserved. This was just embarrassing.

"Come on, we're going to be late," the feisty blonde said as she made her way out the door. Blake turned to look at Ruby and Weiss who were still asleep. She had half a mind to wake the two up and drag them with her and Yang, but Yang's words really made sense the other day. If this power was just that, a power capable of causing so much destruction, then the less people that knew about it the better, right?

That muchmade sense in her mind.

The two made their way toward the arena. Yang looked eager while Blake was sort of anticipating what would happen. She had never done something like this before. Apparently, the style of this training was hand-to-hand combat. While she knew bits and pieces of it, she was no expert in it, and she certainly didn't specialize in it like Yang did.

She was more of a sword user. She wasn't sure if she was going to excel at this sort of combat. Yang had assured her that anybody could do it, and it would help her to broaden her skill base. When they arrived at the Arena, Gohan was calmly sitting in the middle meditating, waiting for the two of them to arrive. The moment they stepped inside, Gohan's eyes opened and looked up at them.

"Hey there! You guys ready?" Gohan asked. Yang fist pumped.

"As ready as we'll ever be," she responded with an ecstatic smile. Blake rubbed her arms awkwardly.

"Uh… s-sure," she muttered nervously. Her… _clothes_ , if she could even call them that, were hugging her body extremely tightly. She was almost astounded how Gohan wasn't even staring. He actually didn't even seem to take notice. She wasn't sure if she should have been offended or grateful!

"Good. Then let's get started!"

The three started their training with Blake being eased into it. Gohan had her starting on bringing out her ki. She did so with difficulty, just like Yang. She complained a bit more about how long it took but she eventually got it. While Blake was trying to unlock her ki, Gohan was training Yang with how to control ki blasts, or energy waves. The blonde found this to be just as fun as flying. It was like she was living a real life video game!

Laser beams were awesome!

Yang had gotten regular blasts down. She learned relatively fast on how to fire them, albeit they were fairly weak, and caused whatever they hit to sort of smoke and have a scorch mark on it. But other than that, she was nowhere close to getting it to the point where it could create smouldering, melting holes in the tiled floor.

Once Yang got the idea down on how to fire them, she had to learn to control them after they had left her hands. Meaning, she had to learn how to manipulate where to aim it once it had already been fired. That was something she had a lot of difficulty in. Gohan worked with both Blake and Yang equally, and both were worked very hard. Blake never knew she could train this hard in her life, but she was doing it, and it hurt a lot.

But Yang insisted that the outcome would be worth it.

It was only after about two hours that the three found themselves with a bit of company. Professor Ozpin had walked into the building and interrupted the training session the three were thoroughly invested in. Gohan looked at him and sighed.

"Sorry girls. Have to cut this short. Stay and keep at it if you want but I need to go," Gohan said. Ozpin nodded calmly and remained quiet. Blake and Yang watched as Gohan left with Ozpin without another word, the two wondering what the Professor wanted with him.

"Do you think it has something to do with last night's attack on the CCT?" Yang asked. Blake nodded.

"Ruby told us that she saw him up there. Apparently, he engaged the attacker. She slipped away when he wasn't looking," Blake said. Yang sighed.

"Well, that's his business. As much as I'm interested to know, I'm sure he'll tell us what happened when he wants to. Anyway, I want to get back to training. I'm finally getting the hang of this," Yang said. Blake nodded. She thought she may as well return to learning how to fly, since that was the second step.

Yang had told her what she needed to focus on, so she decided to dedicate her time to learning how to fly. That would be an invaluable skill to have in her arsenal later. She couldn't imagine the kind of things she could pull off if she could fly. She could only imagine what kind of things Yang would do.

"So, how long did this take you to get down?" Blake asked off-handedly as she concentrated her energy. She was a naturally focused girl. She could multi-task and so far, controlling her inner energy seemed to be coming to her quite naturally. Bringing it out and letting it float in her hands for a bit before putting it back was something she actually found amusement in doing.

No wonder Yang was so giddy these past few days.

She had to admit, this was rather fun.

"A couple of days. Then after that, flying is the harder part!" Yang grunted as she aimed at a target dummy. A few had been set up around the arena for her. Gohan had been nice enough to ask Professor Goodwitch if she had any lying around. Apparently, they had rooms full of them. Go figure.

Blake watched as a yellow beam of energy fired off and smacked into the target dummy. It rocked back and forth from the impact from the blast, and it was smoking slightly. Luckily enough, they just happened to be fireproof, but the jet-black haired faunus wasn't sure if they were built to withstand these kind of attacks.

"You seem to be having fun," the emotionless girl commented from her sitting position. She was toying with her energy like Gohan had suggested. Yang had been the one to come up with that apparently. So far, she was starting to get it down. Bouncing it from one hand to the other, adjusting its size, shape, and energy output.

"Oh yeah!" Yang exclaimed with a grin as she hit the dummy again. This time she managed to tear it right out of its standing position, blasting it right into a wall. She grinned and fist pumped. "Hell yeah! Did you see that!? That was awesome! Imagine what kind of effects this would have against the Grimm!" she shouted, the excitement evident in her voice.

"I am curious… killing Grimm is quite easy when they are isolated. Beowolves, Creeps, and _maybe_ Ursai might be easy to take down. Anything bigger might take a few hits… granted, I actually don't know how powerful these blasts can be…" Blake trailed off. Yang grinned as she fired off another shot.

"Gohan told me it could reshape landscapes and blow up mountains! If it can do that, then these powers could probably destroy even some of the _strongest_ Grimm," Yang explained. Blake watched in mild amusement as Yang tore through a couple of other dummies. She was practicing curving her blasts, but unfortunately, she couldn't seem to get it.

Blake frowned slightly, her thoughts drifting to their teammates who were probably still asleep.

"We really should tell them, I feel like they should be doing this with us," Blake said quietly. It was honest, and it caused even Yang to falter as the blonde stood up straight and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She scrunched her nose up at the thought. She hated keeping secrets, especially from her team.

"Do you think we should? I mean... We'll be the best team here at Beacon if that happens. We'd have no competition… y'know?" Yang asked. Blake just looked away, the small ball of energy dissipating in her hands. It felt like they were cheating their teammates. hey should be here with them.

"I don't know. If this power is as powerful as he says, then by all rights, it should be kept a secret. I read in a book about a legend pertaining to these powers. We aren't the first to know about them. Here is a legend from the time before Remnant got its name, that says there was a war that destroyed most of our world. This power was responsible for that," Blake explained. She didn't know whether or not it was true, but if Gohan meant what he said, then they should at least try and keep this power as much of a secret as possible.

"Really!? Woah, that's crazy! This energy stuff really is hardcore…" the blonde exclaimed, trailing off a bit. She scratched the back of her head nervously. "Soooo… should we tell them? I mean, I don't like lying to our friends like this, especially my sister," Yang asked. The cat faunus sighed heavily.

"I think we should ask Gohan next time we see him. He's teaching us this, by right, I think we should ask him what to do… besides, you seemed pretty keen on keeping it a secret before I found out," Blake accused lightly. Yang just chuckled sheepishly.

"I was going to tell you guys eventually…"

"Sure you were."

"I was!"

"You are a terrible liar."

"...I prefer you _without_ the bow."

"Shut up."

The two looked at each other, their eyes meeting. A friendly laughter escaped both their lips. I was a nice, peaceful moment between the two. They welcomed it happily.

The future was looking very bright.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Meanwhile, Ozpin and Gohan had just arrived in his Office.

Waiting for him were Ms. Goodwitch and General Ironwood. Ozpin gestured for him to sit down in the chair in front of his desk while Ironwood and Goodwitch stood around the desk. Gohan did so without hesitation. He knew he'd have to explain what had happened, and how he knew it was happening.

"Apologies for pulling you away from your time with your friends. It is of great importance that we understand exactly what happened last night over at the CCT," Ozpin explained. Gohan sighed as he recalled the events of exactly what happened last night.

"I had gone to take a breath of fresh air. Parties aren't really my thing. I only went because I lost a bet to Yang," Gohan recalled. Ozpin cracked a small smile. As amusing as it was to watch the boy's interactions with his blonde companion from afar, there were much more pressing matters at hand. The Saiyan continued his story.

"For you guys to understand how I knew what was happening, you have to understand… how my semblance works." Gohan started, looking a little warily at Professor Goodwitch and the newcomer General Ironwood. He knew that Ozpin knew the truth behind his powers, but he wasn't sure about those two.

The two seemed to pay extra attention to every word that came out of his mouth. An uneasy feeling washed over him. He _hated_ lying.

"I can sense life energy. Meaning that I clued into what was happening when I could sense the soldiers around the CCT drop out. I went to investigate and that's where I encountered the woman," Gohan explained. Ozpin leaned back in his chair, fingertips pressed together.

"Can you describe any physical features of this woman?" he asked. Gohan nodded. While he couldn't recall her specific energy signature, he could recall physical features. He had a good memory after all. All that cramming and studying trained his mind to remember important details.

"Black hair, golden eyes. Slender, she looked like she was in her early twenties. From what I would guess, I would assume a fourth-year student. I didn't get a proper read on her energy. I have no idea where she's gone, but she was trained, and probably could beat any student at the academy," Gohan elaborated. Ironwood frowned.

"I saw that you were able to damage her. We retrieved blood samples from the scene. Unfortunately, there was an error in processing the vials we acquired," Ironwood spoke up. Everyone turned to him while Glynda decided to question it.

"What kind of errors?" she asked with a frown. Atlas had the best kind of technology there was! How could there have been errors processing something as easy as a blood sample!? Ironwood sighed, as if his pride would take a hit once he told them what had happened.

"Someone broke into our forensics division and made off with the samples before we could analyze them. Whoever this person is, has very skilled allies. Skilled enough to break into a high security fortress and make off with precious and confidential items without being seen," Ironwood admitted. Ozpin and Glynda frowned while Gohan just remained silent.

This woman seemed quite resourceful, even if he had injured her.

"Well isn't _that_ a surprise," a voice drawled from behind the group. Everyone turned to see a middle aged man in black pants, a red cloak, and a white vest. He had black, slicked back hair, red eyes, and a scruffy, unshaven face. Ozpin let out a small frustrated sigh. He had been quicker than he had anticipated.

"Qrow… I wasn't expecting you for at least another few hours," Ozpin commented. Qrow took a swig from his canteen. One which was no doubt filled to the brim with all sorts of alcohol and other poisonous tonics. Gohan could practically smell the man from where he was sitting!

"Well, you'd be right. But as soon as I heard that our resident teenage powerhouse had woken up from his power nap, I thought I'd make an effort to get here on time," Qrow remarked. He gazed at Gohan knowingly. The boy gazed back. Gohan felt a sneaking suspicion like he should know who this person is. His face looked familiar, but he couldn't place a name to it.

"What are you doing here, Qrow? We thought you were out gathering information on our enemies," Glynda scowled. Qrow put on a fake look of surprise and shame. Ozpin felt his patience start to wear thin. Qrow was an amazing Huntsman when he put his mind to it. A deadly force indeed, but he seemed to lack common courtesy when it came to talking to people.

His voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Oh! I'm sorry. Let me go back to walking around the halls of Beacon Academy. Because apparently, that's where our enemy is right now," Qrow drawled mockingly. Glynda scowled. The sarcasm was easy enough to ignore, but she found the man repulsive at times.

"Besides, I think our little friend, Gohan here is more important than gathering information," Qrow finished. Ozpin didn't like where this was going. He was _hiding_ that for a very good reason. Gohan wanted his peace, and he would try to give the boy as much time as possible.

"Qrow…" Ozpin warned. The man scowled.

"Ozpin… have you seriously not told them yet? Glynda or Jimmy over there? I bet the kid doesn't even remember because he's looking at me like I'm some kind of stranger," Qrow concluded, a hint of disbelief in his eyes. Gohan's eyebrows furrowed.

"You're speaking like I should know you?" Gohan cut in, standing up to face the older looking man. Red eyes met onyx black. Why was there a pinching feeling in the back of Gohan's mind… a recurring thought that he should know this man…?

"You really haven't told him, have you?" Qrow remarked in disbelief, shifting his gaze towards Ozpin. Gohan followed the gaze and looked at the professor. He saw the look of guilt, mixed with annoyance on the professor's face. The headmaster _had_ been hiding something from him!

"What's he talking about Ozpin? What have you not told me?" the Saiyan asked with a slight frown. The man in question got up while everyone's attention was on him. He walked over to the window and looked out, his reflection staring back ominously. Everyone waited in silence for the man to speak, and then after a few moments, he did.

"The team that found you Gohan… Qrow was a part of that team. But I say 'team' in its broadest terms," Ozpin explained. Qrow scoffed.

"What was left of my team anyway," Qrow added. Ozpin nodded slowly before he turned to face Qrow.

"Maybe you should tell the story Qrow. You were there first hand," Ozpin suggested. Qrow sighed as he took a seat in front of the headmaster's desk. He took another swig of his canteen before Gohan took a seat next to him, looking at the man intently.

Why did he get the feeling like he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear? He was just starting to like it here at Beacon! Now whatever this was seemed to be well on it's way to destroying the peace he so desired to live with!

"It's weird that you don't remember, but I can understand why," the drunkard drawled dully. "You are one of Remnant's biggest cover ups. One of Vale's biggest secrets," Gohan scowled, as did Ironwood. Glynda didn't know what to think of this. She couldn't see where he was going with this. How could a simple child be one of the Kingdom's biggest cover-ups?

"Secrets?" Ironwood questioned. He looked at Ozpin and Qrow curiously, then his eyes shifted to Gohan. How could a simple boy be a large secret?

"What do you mean? I don't understand," the son of Goku questioned. Qrow stifled a small laugh as Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood listened to the veteran Huntsman tell his story. Qrow looked at Gohan, reading his reactions. He could tell the boy wanted to hear about it.

"Have you heard about the Mountain Glenn Disaster?" Qrow asked. Gohan recalled reading something about it. It was in "the History of Remnant" book he had enjoyed in his spare time in the library. He had made sure to read up on Vale's history, considering that was where he was currently living.

"I've read about it in some of the history books. It was Vale's first attempt at expansion, right?" Gohan asked looking for confirmation. Glynda and Ironwood seemed to nod at this, recalling similar information. They were all aware of what happened there.

Or were they?

Qrow gave a small chuckle while Ozpin remained quiet.

"Yeah, you got that part right. However, everything else you might have heard or read about the incident is misinformation and innocent lies," Qrow said, dropping a figurative bomb-shell on the audience present. The reaction was instantaneous. Ironwood's and Glynda's eyes widened. Ozpin leaned back in his seat and waited for the questioning to start.

"Misinformation? Innocent lies? What are you talking about Qrow?" Glynda demanded. Ironwood looked absolutely livid. The fallout of that incident was all over Atlas and the other Kingdoms! The tragedy went down in history! It was a lesson to build better defenses and scout better locations when going out to build settlements and small towns to those who wished to.

"I would very much like to hear about this as well. Mountain Glenn had several Atlas Investors in an uproar. We were told that the city was overrun with Grimm because the defences didn't hold," Ironwood recalled. Qrow scoffed.

The drunkard took another swig of his flask before putting the cap back on. He swung his feet up, placing them on Ozpin's desk, much to the headmaster's ire. The man had seemingly no tact or respect. Sometimes the silver haired headmaster wondered why he put up with such a student all those years ago.

"There was nothing wrong with the defences. In fact, Mountain Glenn had the best defences money could buy. The problem was on the inside. What happened _thirteen years ago..._ that turned what was going to be a thriving small city into nothing more than a ghostly burial ground..." Qrow explained. The reaction was again, immediate.

Gohan felt himself freeze up. A sinking and chilling feeling started to crawl up his back. Qrow leaned forward to meet him. The hybrid found it hard to meet the older man's eyes.

"Yeah, now you're starting to get it. The day you arrived on Remnant," Qrow chuckled mirthlessly. It was a hollow laugh, as if he were trying to cover for the fact that whatever happened affected him personally.

Ironwood and Glynda had recoiled in horror. Their gazes drifting to the seemingly frozen boy in front of them. To Glynda, it was starting to make sense. All that time Ozpin had spent in the vault… it had been to check on this boy… _he_ was what the headmaster had been so secretive about. Even when Amber was brought in, there was always something else down there that she couldn't figure out.

Ironwood didn't even know what to think. He was too stunned in disbelief that all he could do was wait for the story to continue.

"That's right, Kid. It might be hard for you to hear this, but unfortunately, you played a large part in the fall of Mountain Glenn."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **And there it is! That's chapter three folks!**

 **I know, it probably feels a bit early to reveal something like this, but this sets the pace and tone for the story. You all know that Gohan's peace wouldn't last very long. It was only a matter of time before something ugly reared it's ugly head.**

 **I hope you guys stick around because shit's gonna start happening very soon. Just a few more chapters and you will see just how much chaos Gohan brings to the RWBYverse. Trust me, it ain't pretty.**

 **Now to respond to your reviews!**

 **Review Responses**

 **123GOHANZ: Thank you for another big review! Seriously! I've been getting some seriously big reviews lately. Anyway, yes I am pairing Yang with Gohan now. It was pretty obvious after that second chapter. Considering how far I am now with my pre-writing, I've already started to develop their relationship. It's a very slow burn romance that I am trying to make believable with Moose's help.**

 **Don't expect them to be throwing themselves at each other any time soon. Don't expect any of that till around the end of Volume 3. I'm already up to writing my version of Volume 4 and it is REALLY different… trust me! :D**

 **I am trying to have Gohan meet all the characters in a more believable way instead of just dropping him in the middle of them like most stories do. And yes, this also sets up for the fact that this story will have four central characters that I focus on. Mainly the ones from the story summary. Yang, Blake and Pyrrha. I focus mainly on developing these three to begin with because these are the three most important characters that develop an important relationship with Gohan.**

 **This is NOT to say I haven't planned out character develop arcs for Ruby or Weiss. Both of them will have very special roles in this story, but sadly I can't say the same about Jaune, Ren or Nora. Those three will remain as sort of… supporting characters. As of right now anyway.**

 **I did my best to distinguish Ki and Aura because somewhere down the line I do some pretty cool things with aura. You guys will see what I mean in the later chapters, but I wanted to give the RWBY cast their own sort of power that Gohan doesn't have. While he can teach them how to harness energy, aura is specifically unique to them.**

 **Sid89: Yes I quite enjoy writing those scenes! But sadly, they will be coming to an end quite soon. Peace never seems to last as long as Gohan might seem to believe… :D. Unfortunately no, he doesn't have that awesome battle scar, and like I said in the previous chapter, he has both arms. Remember, he's sixteen and I would like to believe that at that age, he didn't have any of those.**

 **Sparkydragon98: Thank you for reviewing! I am also an avid fan of Power Within! I talk to Moose and Xman almost on a daily basis now, it's actually quite funny to watch them bicker about certain things! I don't blame you. I love Power Within more than I like my own story! I took your advice and made the pairing official because I had already reached the point in my pre-written stage where I was developing them as a couple.**

 **As for ki color. I'm not quite sure. I know that their energy aura (when they power up and what not) will be the same as their aura color. For now, since I'm not sure if we have actually seen Blake's aura color, I am going to be writing it as a purple color. So she will have a purple power up aura. Yang's is yellow… for future reference until I state otherwise, aura color = ki color.**

 **TFS stands for Team Four Star. You know, the guys who do the abridged series.**

 **Aznxa21: You have no idea how great that makes me feel for you saying that this a readable Dragon Ball fanfic. I have seen so many out there that completely miss the mark and I seriously hope I don't end up missing it either. Gohan will not be nerfed. He still has his power, I don't like nerfing characters without a specific reason behind it.**

 **Like I said, DBZ Villains will make their appearance in this story. Currently nothing on Remnant could stand up to him power-wise, but like 123GOHANZ stated, power isn't everything in a fight. Sure it's a big deal, but there are other factors involved. There will be moments in this story where Gohan will have trouble dealing with certain people that live on Remnant.**

 **Characters will be doing their own things. They won't be just sticking with Gohan the whole story. Blake, Yang and Pyrrha along with other characters will have their own segments where they develop as events go on around them.**

 **Duskrider: I will go into detail about how Gohan defeats the Androids much later. It will presented in a flashback and you guys will actually get to see the fight take place. It's a pretty good fight from what Moose has told me and I think I did a good job with it. So don't worry about that, that will be explored when Gohan reveals what he has been through to the cast. But it won't happen until sometime after Volume 3. (If that wasn't clear I have already finished writing out volume 3, hence pre-writing.)**

 **ExaltedChipz: Thanks! As I just said, Gohan's fight with the Androids will be explored in detail and you will get to see just how he defeated them, and just what it took for him to do so. Also Gohan still has both arms. Just incase you weren't aware.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading everyone, if you have any other questions just PM me or Moose. Probably me, because Moose is really busy a lot of the time. He's a busy guy!**

 **Expect the story to start ramping up now. Shit's going to go down soon!**

 **Until next time!**

 **NEW DISCORD LINK: : / / dis c ord . g g /qakCBVm**


	4. Truth and Memories

**A/N:**

 **ANOTHER CHAPTER! Woohoo!**

 **And now it's even LONGER! Pyrrha is now finally getting her part in this story! The three main RWBY characters for 'This War of Mine' are coming together finally!**

 **Just a quick heads up! If you have Discord downloaded (It's a chat room application that Moose, Xman and I use to talk with you guys!) the server link is as follows: discord. gg/JrnKzyx**

 **There are two flashbacks in this chapter. First one giving huge background to an event that shaped how Remnant has turned out in this AU, and another giving background to Gohan. I hope you guys like it! I worked my ass off with this chapter so I really hope it doesn't disappoint!**

 **Now, enough of that, and ON WITH THE STORY!**

* * *

Chapter Four: Truth and Memories

 _Thirteen Years Earlier_

It was a bright summer's day when the remnants of team STQR were making their way towards the city of Mountain Glenn. The city had been under construction for just over a couple of months now, and the defenses were looking strong. It seemed that Vale's expansion plan had a very good chance of success from the way things were going.

So why was there a sudden transmission from Ozpin asking for assistance? It didn't make much sense to anyone, but Qrow Branwen and Summer Rose were more than willing to take up the opportunity to go and investigate the disturbance in the area. It seemed the mayor was very adamant about getting help.

"Any idea what these guys need?" Qrow drawled as they walked down a dusty road leading from Vale to Mountain Glenn. It was unfortunate that there weren't any bullheads available for them to use. Walking to the city seemed incredibly long and boring. But it had to be done.

"I'm not sure. The mayor sounded pretty worried from what Professor Ozpin described. I wonder what happened?" she mused. They were a few minutes away from the city now, and it was starting to come into view. Everything looked fine to them, no Grimm or signs of other trouble. In fact, they could see the builders going about their business, as if it were just a normal day.

A few buildings had already been completed, and a number of people had already immigrated here from multiple different kingdoms. It was a prime, resource rich area for dust and mining other valuable ores. The city had even built an underground civilization for mining the more precious and valuable resources from the mountain's core.

As Summer and Qrow strolled into town the atmosphere changed immediately. The two felt an unprecedented shift in the mood. While the city was loud and people roamed the streets, it wasn't as lively as they had been led to believe from afar. People kept to themselves, some even looked stressed and nervous.

Terrified even…

It was like they were living under the barrel of a loaded gun, just waiting to fire! It was unbearable to witness, even to Summer and Qrow.

"Jeez, it's like these people are scared that something's just going to jump out and eat 'em. All this negativity is going to attract some pretty nasty lookin' Grimm. We better be careful," Qrow remarked. Summer acknowledged his words but was looking off at a strange warehouse down the road. She watched people as they avoided walking anywhere near it.

Even the builders and the construction crew were looking at it strangely, as if they were scared to go near it. What could have possibly happened here that had everyone on edge so much? An ominous feeling seemed to radiate from that building. It had entranced Summer so much that she had stopped walking and simply stared at the building in deep thought.

"Hey," Qrow nudged her, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" she asked. Qrow merely smiled.

"Come on, we need to go see the Mayor. No doubt he will want to see us as soon as possible," Qrow suggested. Summer merely nodded, taking one last look at the building before resuming her stroll with her trusting teammate. She just couldn't shake this foreboding feeling that something terrible was going to happen.

The two made their way to the central plaza of the city. The mayor was standing outside with some armed guards talking to some business associates. They all had slick professional business attire on. Blue and black striped suits with fashionable ties and suitcases. They didn't look particularly happy.

"You can go tell Watts I'm not interested in his money, I will not be conducting illegal experimentation in this city. Merlot is enough to deal with, I don't have any time or patience for you. Now, I suggest you leave!" the mayor advised. Summer and Qrow both remained quiet as they approached. They watched the two slick businessmen turn and leave with solemn expressions on their faces.

"Ah!" the mayor turned to see the two newcomers. "You must be the two huntsmen that I requested from Professor Ozpin! Ah… Mrs. Rose and Mr. Branwen… yes?" he looked over the two carefully. They both nodded causing the mayor to smile. It seemed that he was a rather cheerful and happy man when he wasn't yelling at businessmen.

"Right this way, I will show you what I called you here for. It is a matter of great mystery and importance," he informed as he walked down past them, motioning for the two to follow. Qrow watched carefully as the businessmen from before got into a sleek black car with tinted windows and drove off. He narrowed his eyes.

"What do you think that was about?" he whispered to his crimsonette partner, to which she simply shrugged.

"You know people are always trying to make lien in some ways. I wouldn't be surprised if mayors or governments are approached by industries all the time with ridiculous offers," Summer remarked carefully as they followed the shorter man. The mayor was dressed in a black suit and had a fancy top hat, like he was straight out of a classical film.

He led them to the warehouse that Summer was gazing at before, the ominous feeling having multiplied tenfold since she'd first laid eyes on it. It seemed the older rose had been right on the money in assuming that this place was responsible for the tense atmosphere that permeated the city. The only question was why? Why were people so afraid?

"So… I'm assuming that whatever has this city looking over their shoulder is what's in here, am I right?" Qrow asked. The mayor nodded in confirmation, looking rather gloomy. His eyes reflected a bit of fear as he stood in front of the door. The two huntsmen shared a worried glance towards one another.

"So you've noticed… I shouldn't be surprised. You are huntsman after all," he sighed as he turned towards them. "A few days ago, witnesses claim to have seen a large, blinding light shine through the windows of this building at around one in the morning. This warehouse was going to be mainly used as storage for dust and other valuable or sensitive goods, but as of that night… something else has seemingly taken up residence in here," the mayor explained.

"What is it?" Summer asked. The mayor looked conflicted.

"Even I am not sure of exactly what happened, or what is in there. No one knows where it came from or what it is, but it appeared in a bright light that shook the entire city and alerted every Grimm in a fifty mile radius," the mayor explained. Qrow scoffed.

"No wonder everyone's so tense. A Grimm attack of that magnitude and it happened after an earthquake of some kind. They're probably thinking it might happen again," Qrow summarized. The mayor nodded grimly.

"Our defenses managed to hold them off, but they were badly damaged in the process. We are still repairing them. No Grimm has managed to get past our walls so far, and I am certain they will continue to hold. But if something like this happens again...I'm afraid there will be no city to save," he said depressively.

"So… what's in the warehouse?" Summer asked. The mayor sighed and pushed open the large metal door.

"Go and see for yourself."

The pair walked in and looked around. Most of what they were seeing looked like junk. Pods, boxes, tables, paper… nothing truly interesting. However, at the end of the room there was a large machine that looked like some kind of giant supercomputer. It was a very interesting and strange looking piece of technology, but it had obviously been damaged.

"What is all of this stuff?" Qrow asked as he walked over towards the pods. He immediately recoiled when he saw what was inside of them. "There are people in these things!" he shouted as he pulled out his weapon, but the mayor was quick to stop him.

"Wait! We don't know what forcing the doors off will do to those people inside. Believe me, we've already checked and they are locked. From what we can see, it's rather unfortunate but they might already be dead. They aren't breathing," he explained. Qrow continued to look inside each chamber, and the only two pods that seemed to be empty were ones labeled '17' and '18'.

"Has anyone come out of this place since its discovery?" Summer asked, joining her partner in peeking around. The mayor shook his head in denial. It was clear that whatever had happened here was a mystery even to the mayor himself. No one had left, but why were the chambers for 17 and 18 empty while 13 through 19 were still occupied?

"No, there has been no activity around this area since the occurrence. I have been monitoring the situation continuously, and there's been nothing out of the ordinary…" the mayor informed the two. "However, we did find a boy in front of the machinery over there," the man gestured to the damaged master computer.

"A boy?" Summer questioned.

"Is he alive?" Qrow asked. The mayor nodded.

"Yes, he's alive and breathing, but has been unconscious ever since the incident. I can take you to him if you'd like," Qrow nodded.

"That would be good, thank you," Qrow turned to Summer. "Let's go see this kid. I wonder if we can get anymore information about this situation if he wakes up," he suggested as he made his way to the door, following the black clad mayor. Summer turned to her partner, she wasn't quite sure she had seen everything this place had to offer yet.

"I'll catch up! Give me a few minutes," Summer called out. Qrow waved her off.

"We'll wait outside," Qrow responded. The metal door shut behind him leaving Summer Rose alone in the building. After the echo of the door closing had quieted down, there was total and utter silence. It was quite unnerving if she had to admit. As she looked around, she tried to find some sort of release mechanism on the pods, but her efforts were fruitless.

" _Hmmmm…_ " she thought to herself. Her eyes drifted around the room and landed on a smaller door that was hidden behind the master computer. Her mouth quirked in amusement. " _Hello there… what's behind you?_ " she wondered. Walking over and maneuvering around the remains of the destroyed mainframe, she stood in front of the door.

As soon as she placed her hand on the door handle, her instincts told her something was wrong. The metal was almost frozen to the touch. It was so cold that she almost gave herself freezer burn from touching it. She had to wrap her hand in her white cloak to try and open the door. When she twisted the handle, she could hear the door rattling.

It was locked.

But it wasn't _just_ locked.

It felt like there was _something_ leaning against the door, as if whatever was on the other side didn't want her to get in. She wasn't sure what to feel. She was pretty good at sensing the presences of people around her. If she tried hard enough, she could feel the warmth of people's aura that were close to her. But whatever was on the other side of this door had no aura.

It felt cold… dark and twisted.

Malicious…

She reared back from the door and notched an arrow, pointing it at the weak part of the door frame. A few quick arrows in the right places should have this door falling down. However, the moment she was about to release her fingers from the notched arrow, a voice called out to her.

"You almost done in there?" Qrow asked. Summer hesitated, looking at the door one more time before placing her arrow back in her quivver. She could investigate later. It wasn't important right now. It could wait. There was a boy she needed to talk to… when he woke up of course. But whatever was on the other side of that door… maybe she didn't want to know just yet.

"Yeah, coming!" Summer called back. She made her way to the door where Qrow was standing.

"Took you long enough, come on, we're wasting daylight," he drawled. Summer smirked.

"You just want to get to the nearest bar as soon as it opens!" she accused.

Click.

She turned and looked back into the warehouse, her eyebrows furrowing. Was it just her imagination? She could have sworn she heard something. Maybe it was the door she was trying to open? Was there really something on the other sid-

"Come on…" Qrow growled as he grabbed her white hood and pulled her by her cloak. She was comically dragged out of the building like a parent with their angry child.

"Hey! Quit it! Let me go!" Summer squealed. Qrow laughed.

"Nope!"

"QROW!"

* * *

"You found the other Androids… I should have destroyed them… I knew I should have. I thought… I thought that destroying the Master Computer would finish them off, but… I didn't want to risk releasing them," Gohan admitted. His hands were clenched so tightly that his palms had turned white.

"At the time… we didn't know they were Androids, we just assumed they were people,  
Qrow muttered. "We should have known better. No aura, no semblance… hell they weren't even breathing, that should have been evidence enough to show that they weren't even human," Qrow growled to himself.

"What's done is done," Ozpin interrupted. Everyone turned to him. "But the story doesn't stop there… does it Qrow?" Ozpin questioned the man. The drunkard took a swig from his flask. It was clear that the mere thought of telling the story triggered some kind of depressing memory. Pain was reflected in the older man's crimson red eyes.

"No… it doesn't," Qrow laughed mirthlessly. "And this one does _not_ have a happy ending..."

* * *

They were lead towards some kind of medical building. It was tall and rather grandiose, clearly it was one of the first buildings that had been constructed during the Mountain Glenn's development. People would need to be constantly treated for battling Grimm, especially the apprentice huntsmen that were helping to protect the thriving city.

Qrow and Summer were being guided through the hospital wings. They weren't sure what to expect. Everything they had seen so far was just… strange. All of that machinery and technological equipment appearing inside of a warehouse during the middle of the night? It was like something out of a mystery novel!

"Right in here," the mayor guided. The two walked into the room to find a black haired teenager lying on the one bed in the room, unconscious and only just breathing. The gentle rise and fall of his chest told the two experienced hunters that he was out cold, and wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. That didn't stop the female from walking over and sitting next to his bed.

"I wonder who this boy is…" Summer mumbled as she traced her fingers over his palm. It twitched briefly, but he gave no signs of waking. It looked like he was just resting, he was clearly exhausted. She wondered why… his clothes signified he had been through some kind of battle. They were torn and shredded on his upper torso.

"What do you know about him?" Qrow asked. The mayor just sighed.

"Not enough I'm afraid, all that we know is that the boy was found inside the warehouse," the mayor elaborated. Taking another look at the boy Qrow couldn't help but fathom what kind of battle the boy had been through to accumulate those kinds of injuries and wounds. The pained look on his face was enough to tell him that what he had fought had not been a pretty battle.

"No aura…" Summer murmured. Qrow managed to catch wind of what she had muttered. He raised an eyebrow at that as the girl continued to examine the boy's body for wounds or any serious damage. It looked like he was healing just fine. But that was just from Qrow's point of view. His partner was more medically experienced than he was. She knew how to treat wounds and she also knew how to examine the extent of damage.

"I can arrange-" the mayor's voice was cut off by his scroll ringing. He looked at it to see a younger, tanned looking man with dark hair, a fashionable mustache and emerald green eyes. "Unbelievable, it's Watts again! I'm sorry, I must take this. I will have to speak to you some time soon," the mayor disappeared out of the room leaving the two to their own devices.

"I can't help but feel that something strange is going on here, none of this makes any sense to me," Qrow muttered as he took a seat at the back of the room. He whipped out a toothpick from his coat and started chewing on it. Summer turned to him and sighed.

"You're gonna choke on that thing one day," she warned. Qrow rolled his eyes.

"I'll find something else eventually," he waved off. Summer turned back to the boy and looked him over. She couldn't help but feel something strange from him, although that was becoming a theme with the events of the day. It was poking at her curiosity, a constant annoyance at the back of her head. What was it about this boy that felt so… alien?

"How's little Rubes doing?" Qrow asked out of the blue. Summer turned to him once again, a brighter smile on her face. The mention of her beautiful little red-hooded daughter always seemed to lighten her up. The mere thought of her adorable features brought Summer the greatest joy in the world.

"Still eating as many cookies as I can bake. I suppose she's keeping Tai busy. Yang is also as protective as ever…" the white cloaked woman chuckled. A raven touched down on the windowsill next to the boy's bed. The older rose managed to catch its eye, a painful memory coming back to her. She still remembered the day when her best friend abandoned their team...

"Also, have you…" she paused for a moment. "...heard from Raven at all?" Summer asked. She knew Qrow kept in touch with her. They were brother and sister after all. Raven seemed to only talk to either Qrow or Taiyang. Raven hadn't uttered a single word to Summer in three years. Not since Yang was born. Qrow had noticed the black bird that had landed just outside the window.

"Don't stress over her. She's not worth your time Summer. She chose to abandon us and return to those _murderers_. I don't lose any sleep over it, and neither should you." She knew it was a lie. Qrow hadn't slept a single peaceful night for many months after Raven's departure. Qrow cared more about his sister than anyone actually realised.

"I just… I refuse to believe that she would abandon her daughter like that… there has to be a reason," Summer murmured. Qrow sighed. It was a tired sigh, like this wasn't the first time they had this conversation. Summer still believed there to be a reason behind Raven leaving. She just didn't get it. She was too trusting… too full of light to accept that Raven was full of darkness.

The black bird flew away causing Summer to just look down, back at the boy who was resting on the hospital bed. Qrow still had his eyes narrowed to the very place where that bird had sat. It felt too _obvious_.

"I think I might inform Ozpin of our findings. So far we have a boy, and a couple of people in a few pods. Nothing too much to worry about," Qrow reassured. Summer was still on edge though. She kept it to herself, but she honestly wondered what was behind that door at the back of the building. It was locked and shut tightly. The mayor had to know about it. So…

Why didn't he tell them?

Was he hiding something?

Qrow pulled out his scroll.

"Oh look at that, a message from Tai." Qrow pulled up the message and gave a small laugh. Summer looked over to see that Tai had sent a picture to Qrow. Ruby and Yang covered in flour with multiple bowls of cookie dough around them. Also shown in the picture was Zwei, who they had gotten just a few weeks ago, running around with a bowl on his head.

Summer laughed. A genuine and angelic laugh that made Qrow smile wistfully. There was a tinge of jealousy in his eyes. Sometimes… he wished that it was him that had fathered Ruby instead of Taiyang. He longed for a daughter, for a family, but his lifestyle just didn't fit. No matter how hard he would try, he couldn't maintain a relationship like Tai could.

It was depressing, and Qrow was getting close to giving up.

"Don't give up," Summer reassured him, knowing that he longed for a family. Qrow looked up at her, she had placed a hand on his knee.

"You know what my semblance is Summer. I can never have a family like you do. All I would do is bring them pain and misfortune," he remarked. Summer just smiled brightly.

"Only if you think like that! Look on the bright side, always try to find the silver lining, always try your best. Then, no matter how many times you fail, you will eventually succeed," she grinned. Qrow just chuckled, shaking his head dismissively.

"You can be such a _sap_ sometimes," Qrow remarked. Summer stuck her tongue out in response.

"Well, I ain't sitting around here all day. I'm gonna go for a-" Qrow was cut off as a shockwave ripped through the hospital. The windows shattered and the ground shook violently, sending both Qrow and Summer to the floor.

Alarms were suddenly ablaze throughout the city. Both Qrow and Summer pushed themselves to their feet and rushed to a nearby window. Looking out, they saw that a nearby building had been completely destroyed. Surrounding buildings were on fire and people were screaming, running away from the ensuing chaos.

"Let's go," Summer's happy mood was gone in an instant, replaced by a more serious and dark looking visage. Now she was all business. Qrow unsheathed his giant sword from his back, spitting the toothpick out of his mouth.

"Yeah, right behind you."

* * *

"So it _wasn't_ Grimm?" Glynda asked. Qrow scoffed.

"Grimm? No, I _wish_ it were Grimm," the scruffy hunter muttered. Ironwood scowled.

"Then what was it? What destroyed Mountain Glenn?" he demanded. Qrow sighed and opened his mouth to respond, but it wasn't him who answered the general. It was the boy next to him, who looked about ready to kill something.

" _Androids_ ," Gohan spat venomously.

* * *

It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie.

Bodies littered the pavement like confetti and fire raged around like a wild blazing beast. The hellish inferno gave the perfect backdrop for the perpetrators of the attack. The moment Qrow and Summer arrived on the scene, they bore witness to the sheer brutality of the two _things_ responsible.

One was a short purple man with a red bow, stylish shades, and a large circular green hat. His diminutive stature was made up for by the fact that his partner in crime seemed to tower at least six feet above him. A large ghostly white muscular body, a lime green tunic-like skirt, and jet-black hair. His cold, dead, emotionless eyes glaring daggers at the two huntsmen.

"Oh… oh my god," Summer gasped. Never in all her years had she seen brutality like this before. Not even the Grimm were capable of such destruction. The Grimm were savage beasts and acted in large packs. Some of the stronger Grimm would isolate themselves and attack villages… but this…

These were _people_ doing this.

"Summer, stay on guard," Qrow warned. She swallowed nervously and notched an arrow while Qrow readied his sword. The small purple man turned to them, his shadow overcast by the inferno blazing around them. However, they could see the sadistic smile on his face. It was as though he enjoyed the chaos...

"You wanna dance?" the purple gnome asked with a grin. Qrow raised an eyebrow at this. Before either of them could even react, Qrow was sucker punched in the gut and sent spiraling backwards, the smaller attacker dashing after him. Summer could only watch as Qrow was smacked away.

"Qrow!" she screamed.

"You should be watching your opponent, girly," a voice said from in front of her. She turned around only to be smacked away as well. The force that had hit her felt like a truck slamming right into her face. Her aura had taken a large hit, and a massive chunk of it was gone.

She managed to recover from the blow, flipping nimbly and landing on her feet. She fired multiple dust arrows, all landing and hitting home on her intended target. She was famed for never missing, but it seemed that whatever this person was doing, it was nullifying her attacks because her arrows seemingly had no effect on him.

The monster simply smiled at her.

He charged her again, but this time she was ready. Her physical form was overtaken by a shower of white rose petals. She scattered, confusing the attacker for a few moments. She disappeared and reappeared all over the battlefield. She was faster than this person, but no matter where she attacked, her arrows bounced harmlessly off the monster's skin.

" _This is pointless! I need to find a weak spot!_ " Summer thought desperately. She hoped that Qrow was having better luck. Unfortunately, luck didn't seem to be on their side as her question was answered almost immediately. Qrow was once again smacked across her field of vision, this time shattering a few windows in the process.

The purple gnome seemed to be dominating him.

"I've had my fair share of tough battles, but this one takes the cake," Qrow groaned as the gnome kicked him again. He fell off the top of a building. He had flown up there with his Semblance to try and get a better view of the battle, but it seemed that whoever they were fighting had the ability to fly as well!

"You aren't much of a challenge," the little man mocked. Qrow spat out blood.

"You're purple, and I'm seeing four of you," Qrow's smirk was bloody, showing that his aura had already been broken. He was taking a real beating. What he would give to have Summer's semblance right about now. That girl was untouchable when she was focused, and it seemed that way with her battle. But she didn't seem to be doing any damage.

" _At least I shot his stupid hat off… wait a minute,_ " taking a closer look, he saw what seemed to be a wires, metal cranks and machinery in the top of his head. Was he battling some kind of cyborg…? Was this thing an Android? What the hell!? Technology like this hadn't even been developed yet from what he knew, not even in Atlas.

"Summer! They're Androids!" Qrow called out. She seemed to notice this as Qrow was once again booted into the side of a building. He hit it hard. She rushed over to his side and examined his wounds. Another few hits like this and he would be nothing more than a spot of red paste on the ground. He already had multiple fractures in his ribs.

"Oh shit… hang in there Qrow, I'll- urk-" she was yanked back by the larger Android. He spun her around and lifted her by the scruff of her neck. A tight, large hand clamped around her throat. Her oxygen suddenly being cut off. She couldn't breathe, this thing was going to kill her! Any tighter and it would snap her neck!

Her eyes started to glow, and before the Android could react a bright white light exploded from them. The power engulfed the entire area in a chilling frozen tundra. Qrow and the purple android barely had time to shield their eyes from the bright blinding light before it covered them as well.

After a few moments, the light died down and Summer was on the ground coughing and spluttering. The ghostly white Android had been completely frozen over. Summer watched as the ice she had frozen the Android in shattered after a explosion of bright flaming power.

The Android was missing an arm.

Wires and machinery were hanging out of the amputated socket. However, even with all of that damage, the android didn't look remotely phased. Both Qrow and Summer were in shock. The horror that they were witnessing didn't seem to end, nor did it bode well for their survival. They were going to die here, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Summer was completely drained of aura and energy. Her silver eyes had thoroughly depleted what remaining stamina she had left. It always happened after she used her special gift, her silver eyes. They were so incredibly powerful that they left the user completely defenseless afterward, if not unconscious. She was lucky to still be awake after what she'd just done.

She had activated it out of sheer will to survive.

At least she had done some damage to this thing.

" _What does it take to put these things down!? A full powered blast from Summer's silver eyes and he's only missing an arm!? What the hell are these things?_ " Qrow fumed. He was powerless as well, in pain and almost broken. He had been a ragdoll to that stupid purple gnome. He stood absolutely no chance.

How the hell were they going to get out of this one?

Fortunately for them, their prayers were answered.

A furious angel touched down in front of the two.

"Who…?" Summer breathed. Qrow's eyes went wide in realization.

" _I don't believe it,_ " Qrow drawled in his thoughts.

The boy from the hospital was standing right in front of them, clad in a raging white aura. His facial features were full of anger, and the white flames that coated his body circled him like a wild animal, ready to lash out and devour anything that came close to him. His hands were clenched, and his muscles were twitching, ready to be unleashed.

"Are you two okay?" he asked. Summer nodded numbly.

"W-We'll be fine," she responded. The boy sighed.

"At least I saved you two," he mumbled. Summer could only gaze at the back of the man standing in front of her. He couldn't be any older than seventeen. He just stood there, without fear, like an immovable wall. He wasn't scared, even after seeing what these things were capable of. She wanted to protest, tell him to run, but something nagged at her, telling her that he was capable of more than her and Qrow combined.

"You two need to leave now," the boy commanded. Summer was about to say something but the teenager didn't give her time to formulate a response. A wild wind picked up and started to blow fiercely around him. A deep yell emerged from his throat.

The clouds above them turned black.

Thunder boomed overhead.

Flashes of lightning lit up the night sky as his screams echoed off the now barren city. Everyone was either dead or had long since evacuated. Grimm had invaded but were avoiding the area, as if they were scared to go anywhere near where the power was growing.

A golden aura exploded around the boy, his hair changing color to a bright, shimmering, pristine golden shade. His eyes shifted from onyx black to a sea green teal color. The transformation had been completed, and the pair of huntsmen had almost been blown away in the process.

The two Androids stared down their new opponent, as did the golden warrior.

Summer and Qrow knew that they were in way over their heads. This was _not_ something they were even remotely ready to deal with.

" _What the hell did we get ourselves into?_ " Qrow thought in amazement.

"I won't repeat myself. Get out of here now!" the boy commanded. Summer didn't waste time, dashing over towards Qrow and hoisting him up over her shoulders. The two supported each other as they hobbled away. They kept their heads turned as the boy exchanged a few words with the Androids, which they weren't able to make out.

"This is crazy," Qrow growled in pain. "It's like we've fallen into some kind of crazy fairy tale," he finished. A sudden boom echoed behind them, signaling that the battle had begun. The fighters disappeared and reappeared all over the sky above them as they hobbled their way to an exit.

"No matter where we go, Grimm have overrun the city. We need to find a safe place to hide," Summer suggested. Qrow grunted in acknowledgement. A scream echoed through the sky and buildings collapsed around them as lightning struck the ground in various places throughout the city.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" the words echoed off the land around them as the boy let loose a large beam of energy that swallowed up a good portion of the city's buildings. Luckily, it seemed that people had already been evacuated, but eight months of hard work and millions of lien had been thrown down the drain.

" _Holy shit!_ " Qrow watched the destruction taking place as he looked behind his partner. Summer refused to look. She could see by the flashes and shadows being cast by the attacks that whatever was happening behind them was history in the making. They both were witnessing what seemed to be a fight between _gods_.

Suddenly, the purple android slammed into the ground in front of them. Qrow and Summer recoiled in fright. The boy appeared before them, landing on the chest of the android. In mere seconds, the boy had reached down and ripped the arms from the android, and planted his foot directly through the android's head.

Wires and machinery flew everywhere.

He looked up.

"WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE!? GET GOING-" The white android appeared right next to the boy and punched him into a nearby building. They moved at lightening fast speeds, and seconds later they were in the sky battling it out again. Sonic booms and ear-splitting explosions echoed throughout the sky above Mountain Glenn.

"This way!" Summer pulled Qrow into a nearby building and leaned him against the wall. Qrow slid down and sat on the ground. He looked up to see a panicked and frightened expression on her face, her thoughts and expressions mirroring exactly what Qrow was thinking.

"This is insane! Are we… are we in some kind of nightmare!? What the _hell_ is going on!?" Summer wheezed. Qrow wished he had an answer. Right now, he would trade a deadly horde of Grimm over this shit-show. At least he knew how to deal with Grimm hordes. This was something out of a god-damn nightmare!

"I wish I knew what was hap-" the male Branwen was cut off as another earth shaking explosion rocked the building. A tidal wave of dust and smoke tore through the windows and door frames, covering both Summer and Qrow in soot and other horrible substances. Summer had screamed the moment the explosion went off. It took mere seconds for everything to almost collapse around them.

"We have to move!" Qrow forced himself from his sitting position and pulled Summer out of the building as it collapsed. His body screamed at him, but his survival instincts were kicking in. They were right in the middle of death's grasp, and if they stopped, it would catch them.

Another explosion lit up the area around them. This time the shockwave sent them to the ground. Smoke was sent barreling over them at high speeds. They were lucky they hadn't been blown away. Qrow was busy wondering how his semblance hadn't gotten them killed yet. It was a miracle they were still alive.

The fighting seemed to have stopped all of a sudden.

The boy appeared before them out of thin air.

"Don't worry! You're safe, I took care of those Androids," he informed them.

Qrow was about to respond with a snarky comment before another voice entered the fray.

"I'm afraid you're wrong there sonny. Android 14 and 15 may be dead, but I'm still alive and kickin'," the newcomer interrupted. The boy looked up and scowled. He was still clad in his shimmering golden aura. Qrow knew that the fighting hadn't ended yet. His luck, while seemingly keeping him alive, just wanted to throw more shit his way.

"Another one…" the boy growled.

"Come on then, Son Gohan. Why don't you come and have a tussle with me?" he beckoned. Qrow looked over his shoulder to see a middle aged man with a trucker hat, long white hair and a vest on. He wore military boots and long denim pants. On his vest he had the same symbol as the other Androids.

'R&R'

The boy fazed out of existence, having spoken enough, and engaged this new Android in one on one. The shockwaves started up again, the ground shaking with every clash. Qrow and Summer pushed themselves to their feet to watch the mid-air collisions. They were flying and fighting at the same time.

"Summer?"

"Yeah?"

"I was not ready for today,"

"I couldn't agree with you more,"

They watched the fighting some more, completely oblivious to all the Grimm that were pillaging the city. For some strange reason, the Grimm seemed to be actively avoiding the two. It was like they knew if they attacked the two, the golden warrior would descend and erase them from existence.

"We should go," Qrow turned to Summer, to find that she was staring wide eyed at him. After a few moments, he realized she wasn't looking at him, but instead behind him. He was too tired to turn, so he opted to ask instead.

"Summer what-"

"No! Stop! Don't do ! -"

And then his world went black.

* * *

"That's it?" the Saiyan asked. Qrow scowled.

"Oh I'm sorry," Qrow drawled sarcastically. "I don't remember anything else after being knocked out cold! The next thing I know, I wake up with you in a hole in the ground in front of me. Summer was gone and the Android was in pieces," Qrow finished.

Gohan clenched his hands in a silent rage.

"So… I defended you guys from this _Android_?" Gohan asked. Qrow nodded. Glynda and Ironwood were completely dumbfounded, but what they were hearing confirmed the strange things they felt on that day. Ironwood recalled the earth-shaking events the day Mountain Glenn fell. He didn't even place the two together because they seemingly had no relation. Now it seemed, he was wrong.

Glynda, while believing the story, couldn't wrap her head around the concept that such power could exist. And considering that it happened thirteen years ago was ridiculous. Vale had covered up the incident? More directly, Ozpin had? Come to think of it, the story was so absurd that a cover up might have been more believable than the actual truth of the matter.

"Android… monster… whatever you want to call that damn thing. Yeah you fought the hell of out of it. The fight looked even too," Qrow remarked. Gohan frowned.

"I don't remember any of this. I only remember waking up in the basement below Beacon," the half-Saiyan tried to remember. Then he looked at Ozpin, as if realizing something. It was so obvious now… this answered a lot of those nagging questions that had been sitting on the back of his mind.

"You kept me here to keep an eye on me. No wonder you weren't surprised when I told you where I was from. After what happened at Mountain Glenn, you had thirteen years to study me and examine the kind of damage that Mountain Glenn sustained with my fight with the Android," Gohan exclaimed in realization. Everyone turned to Ozpin. The wise man nodded.

"When I first heard about it, I almost dismissed it as insanity. But I know better. There are fairy tales of men, gods, darkness… maidens, and other mystical things. But not once have I ever heard of or seen beings capable of what you and that Android did," Ozpin explained as he got out of his chair and walked over to the window.

"Like I said, there were many reasons for me hiring you here Gohan. Keeping an eye on you… it wasn't because I didn't trust you… it was because I was afraid… so afraid of what would have happened if Salem caught word of your existence… _Of your power_." Ozpin elaborated. Qrow understood now. The reason why Ozpin hadn't said anything, why he had kept it under wraps.

"The biggest cover up… we lied to the world, fabricated a false story just to keep people from knowing about the power that was thrown around in Mountain Glenn that day. If Salem caught word of the kind of power you had, there would be nothing stopping her from trying to get to you," Qrow drawled. Gohan scowled.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle myself," he growled lightly. Qrow merely smirked.

"You're powerful. No doubt about it. You could probably defeat every single one of us here without breaking a sweat. But I won't be the first to admit that you would be severely underestimating Salem and her intelligence. Not much is known about her, but she is extremely powerful, and she always get what she wants," Qrow responded sourly.

"So, you locked me up under Beacon for the safety of the world, and my own… I'm not sure if I should be thankful or angry. You should have told me Ozpin. I don't like it when secrets are being kept from me, especially when I am involved in them," Gohan snapped. Ozpin merely sighed.

"I'm not perfect Gohan. I have made many mistakes in my life, and some of those have cost people their lives. When you talked to me when you woke up, it was clear you wanted nothing to do with this fight. So, I opted not to say anything," Ozpin said calmly. Gohan frowned.

"You should have said _something_ ," Gohan critiqued. He clenched his fists angrily. His war was not yet finished. He had to get to the bottom of this.

"I'm involved now whether you want me to be or not. If there are more Androids stalking around on Remnant, then this _planet_ isn't safe. This is my war to fight. I brought them here. I will destroy them," Gohan declared.

"That's great and all, but this is our fight too now. This is our world, and we will fight to protect it. What happened to this Android you were fighting? If you can't remember, and Qrow seems to have been knocked out before the fight could be concluded, how do we know this Android isn't still around?" Glynda cut in.

"Well, the only people who would know are Gohan and Summer. One of them is dead, and the other one can't remember," Qrow informed. Gohan felt a wave of frustration cloud his mind. It was just… infuriating to not remember such an important event!

"We haven't seen anything remotely close to what you described Qrow. I can only believe that the Android must have met his doom somehow. It doesn't sound like the type of machine to leave people breathing…" Ironwood noted as he turned to Gohan. "Especially someone like him."

"I can't believe I don't remember. Why can't I remember this?" Gohan muttered. Qrow took another swig of his alcoholic beverage..

"I don't know the details. Whatever hit me was hard enough to knock me out cold. I didn't see how the fight ended," Qrow elaborated as he got up and walked over to the window. He took another swig from his flask.

"I picked you up and made for Beacon as fast as possible. Told Oz what I had witnessed, and we got you into that pod as quickly as possible. I haven't seen Summer since." A depressive sigh emitted from the drunkard as he turned around. A look of sorrow in his eyes as he looked at Gohan.

"I couldn't even tell Taiyang the truth. Ruby… Yang… Taiyang… I had to lie to them all. Summer was gone, and I had no idea what happened to her. I was hoping you might know, but clearly you don't remember either," Qrow finished.

"I'm sorry," the sixteen-year-old hybrid responded bitterly. Qrow scoffed.

"It's not your fault so don't blame yourself for it. It would be childish of me to place the blame on you for what happened. Besides..." Qrow drawled, "It's been thirteen years. I'm over it," he finished. Gohan could tell it was a bitter lie to make him feel better. He only responded by nodding slowly.

"Summer Rose hasn't been seen or heard of in thirteen years," Ozpin cut in. "We all assume she's dead, but there is always that chance that she might still be alive." Everyone looked at him as he sat back down and placed his elbows on his desk. The scruffy huntsman frowned.

False hope never did anyone any good. Summer was gone, and she wasn't coming back.

"We've been over this Oz, there's no way. Thirteen years, she's gone," Qrow retorted. The headmaster of Beacon didn't seem convinced by that argument..

"We never recovered a body," Ozpin countered. Qrow's scowl deepened.

"That power can completely erase whatever it touches. Enough power behind an attack is enough to wipe anything in it's path from existence," Qrow remarked sourly.. Gohan nodded unfortunately. He still couldn't believe that he possibly murdered an innocent huntress and mother in the crossfire of his battle with a bloodthirsty Android.

"And yet you are both still alive. I know chances are slim to none Qrow, but it can't hurt to believe that there is hope," The wiser man informed. Qrow rolled his eyes and didn't respond. Ozpin turned to Gohan.

"I want you to keep doing what you are doing. I respect your desire to refrain from fighting, but we need warriors who will help us defend the remnants of our dwindling population. The Grimm grow stronger and more resilient every day. Continue with your teachings, I'm sure Ms. Xiao Long and Ms. Belladonna will do well under your guidance. If others come to you for help, I would ask that you do not turn them down," Ozpin asked. Gohan sighed.

"I will teach those that want to learn. If there are Androids created by Dr. Gero roaming Remnant, then they are going to need to learn how to defend themselves against that kind of force. That being said, I won't train those that I don't trust or have any darker ulterior motives," Gohan replied honestly.

Ozpin nodded. He could see it. The boy was just tired, he needed a break. He needed to be around people. He needed to build loving relationships, only then could he begin to heal the deeper trauma that those monsters had inflicted.

"That is all I ask of you. You may leave now," Ozpin responded kindly. Gohan frowned weakly before leaving the room after a few moments of silence. It was clear to everyone that the boy had a lot to process and think about. Qrow, Glynda, and Ironwood turned to Ozpin with wide eyes.

"He's teaching students to wield the same power that he has?" Glynda asked. Ozpin nodded.

"Qrow and I know the damage this power can cause. Aura and semblances, while proving to be effective defenses against the Grimm, lack the destructive means to truly destroy the darkness," Ozpin explained. Qrow wasn't sure if he liked this idea or not.

"And what if Salem gets her hands on this power? There's no telling if her spies can learn from Gohan without him or us knowing about it. I'm all for this idea of teaching our trainees on how to use ki. Heck, I spent the last eight years learning how to use it myself, and I still feel like a rookie. But that power is a serious cause for concern if our enemies discover it," the drunkard informed. Ironwood frowned.

"This revelation has brought new light to our situation. I'm sure we should keep looking for the Maidens as they have their own unique and powerful assets, but we should keep a close eye on who Gohan is interacting with, and who he decides to train," Ironwood suggested. The headmaster's eyes averted from the group for a few moments as he recollected his thoughts.

"I have been doing exactly that. I have placed absolute faith in Gohan. I believe he is a good judge of character. He will train those he deems capable and trustworthy," Ozpin said with absolute certainty. Glynda frowned at this.

"But people don't need Gohan to learn how to harness this power. If what Qrow says is true, then anyone is capable of using it," Glynda voiced her concerns.

"I'm still considered a beginner. Eight years and I've learned to do a lot of things with this energy, but nowhere close to replicating what I saw Gohan and that Android do. I had to do serious digging and research to even find out where to start. Even then, most people would pass it off as mumbo jumbo. When I read up on how to use it, the process sounded ridiculous. But it worked," Qrow said.

"I guess all we can do is see where the cards fall for now. The way I see it, we have an ace in the hole. The moment the Queen makes her move, we will be ready with a counter attack," Ozpin finished.

* * *

Team RWBY wasn't sure if they were lucky or unlucky considering the unfortunate circumstances they found themselves in. They only had themselves to blame though considering that Ozpin had practically gift wrapped this mission for them. They initially weren't allowed to take the mission, but the headmaster bent the rules for them.

Why would such a man do that for them? It was violating all the safety precautions that went into teams selecting their own missions! They had been excited at first to get such a mission, but the feelings soon wore off when they found out what Huntsman they would be shadowing. While he wasn't the worst, he certainly wasn't the girls favourite or first choice.

Doctor Oobleck.

"Man this blows…" Yang muttered as she walked casually next to Blake. The team had touched down in Mountain Glenn and the Doctor was currently rushing around the place looking for fossils or any other interesting components that might further his research. "I wanted to see what a real Huntsman was capable of," Yang groaned. Blake ignored the girl's protests.

"Can't _all_ be winners," Blake remarked. Yang growled but didn't say anything. Blake hid her smirk well enough for Yang not to notice, otherwise she might be on the end of the blonde's fist sooner rather than later.

After a few more minutes of walking around, there was an undoubtable strange presence through the desolate remains of this once thriving city. There was a cloud of tension strung over the city in the form of a black cloud. Grimm were crawling all over the city, but Yang couldn't help but feel like there was something more to this place.

"Hey… uh Blake?" she questioned to her partner. Ruby and Weiss were bickering up ahead while Oobleck zipped around the place. The black haired faunas turned to her teammate in question with a strange look on her face.

"What is it?" she asked. The two had stopped as the blonde looked around the place. The energetic girl looked more worried than Blake had ever cared to notice.

"Does this place… feel kinda off to you?" she asked hesitantly. There was a certain air to this place that sent a chilling sensation down Blake's spine. Ruby and Weiss seemed none-the-wiser but Doctor Oobleck had the same kind of look on his face.

"It _is_ the remains of a city. People died here Yang, of course it feels strange," Blake retorted. Yang growled.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," she snapped. Blake sighed.

"Yes, I feel it too, but I'm _trying_ to ignore it," the bow wearing faunas informed. Yang merely continued looking around. So far all she could see was destroyed buildings and Grimm. Nothing out of the ordinary. But what was that feeling? Just a sense of doom? Of hopelessness? She couldn't understand it, so they kept walking.

Hours later and the feeling still wouldn't go away. Doctor Oobleck had asked them why they wanted to be huntresses. Their answers varied, but they had all come to realise that the Huntsman they were supposed to be shadowing had asked all of them but Ruby for some reason. Yang wasn't sure of the reason as to why he didn't ask Ruby, but she was sure it had something to do with the fact that Ruby's answer would be clear.

As for her, well… it was more around gathering the strength she needed to find her mother. Being a thrill seeker and helping people were her secondary objectives. While she loved the thrill of pounding Grimm into dust, getting into fights, and generally helping people in need, the real desire was to find her mother.

To get answers.

For Blake it was a different reason. She desired to find a purpose in life, to fix the corrupted world that she had grown up in. The prejudice and hate that seemed to follow her wherever she went was maddening. All because of a pair of cat ears on her head. She was even forced to hide them with a cute little black bow.

Her past had haunted her for so long. She was starting to get scarily good at running from her problems. She ran away from home to continue with the White Fang, and then after she realized she was in too deep, she ran away from them too. And Adam.

Adam Taurus…

The mere name brought back terrible memories. He had been a mentor to her, a partner. He had developed her into what she was today. She didn't know how to feel when she had left him on that train to come to Beacon months ago. Was it guilt or relief? He wasn't a good person and he thrived on causing pain to humans.

She was so desperately seeking an answer to her problems, and so far coming to Beacon had only brought her trailer full of problems with her. Now her friends were along for the ride. How long would it be before they were all caught up in her mess? She didn't want to know, and she already knew it was starting from their encounters with Torchwick and the others.

Both Yang and Blake's mind's seemed to drift in unison to a single boy.

Son Gohan.

At first glance, he seemed to be your simple run of the mill teenager with his own fair share of problems, but underneath that calm and friendly exterior was a fierce warrior. They both couldn't understand how powerful he was. He was so incredibly strong it seemed almost fruitless trying to estimate just how skilled he was.

He was everything they weren't.

He seemed capable and strong enough to solve even the hardest of problems! He knew of a power that granted them special and powerful abilities and they were only just _beginning_ to cut into the tip of the iceberg with what this energy seemed to offer them. There was no doubt that if they kept going they would become strong enough to deal with anything that crossed their paths!

But people were shaped by their experiences. Blake knew that more than Yang, and she was sure that Gohan had attained such a power through constant hardship. She didn't know what he had been through, but she could see that pain hidden behind his eyes. She hadn't seen it at first, and it was well hidden, but it was _there_.

Suddenly Doctor Oobleck came running into their small little camp, waking Weiss and startling the other two. He had a serious look on his face.

"Grab your weapons! Your leader is in trouble."

They didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

After the revelation of what happened thirteen years ago, the young Saiyan hybrid needed time to clear his thoughts.

He found himself walking throughout the streets of Vale during the day in deep thought. What Qrow had told him deeply disturbed him. He'd fought here with an Android that he had no recollection of. Memory loss sustained after a battle was something he'd never dealt with before. He would have had to have sustained a serious head injury for that to happen, but it seemed that he was fine.

An injury like that should have left some kind of permanent scar on his being, but he had thoroughly checked his head for one and found nothing of the sort. Even after thirteen years being in a coma, his body had healed quite nicely.

He couldn't wrap his mind around how he couldn't remember, why he couldn't. What had he done to inflict memory-loss on himself? There had to be _some_ other factor to this. What was he missing? None of it made any sense!

His thoughts drifted to Blake and Yang. Their team had a mission today and they were to set out early after their training session that morning. They were heading somewhere, and Yang didn't bother to tell him because he hadn't asked. It hadn't even occurred to him to ask her. He could have, but it was really none of his business.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost stumbled into someone without noticing! He _really_ was distracted over this whole mess! Who wouldn't be?

"Whoa, careful! You could bump into someone looking down like that," a feminine voice brought Gohan out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a brown skinned girl with mint green hair. Standing a few steps behind her was another boy. He had silverish grey hair and grey eyes. He didn't recognize them, but the look in their eyes told him that _they_ knew him.

"Sorry, I'll be more careful next time," Gohan responded apologetically. He went to move past them, but was intercepted again by the green haired girl. A look of intrigue graced her features. The boy behind her didn't seem to mind what she was doing.

"I recognize you. You're the librarian at Beacon, right?" she asked. Her tone was friendly and welcoming. Gohan's gloomy attitude brightened a bit at this.

"Yeah, that's right. Are you students? I don't think I've seen you before," Gohan replied. The two nodded. Gohan found it strange that the boy behind her looked like he was reading off a script.

"We're transfers from Haven Academy in Mistral. I'm Mercury by the way. Nice to meet you," he spoke in a friendly manner, albeit with a more calculated tone, walking up to Gohan and giving him a firm handshake. Gohan accepted and returned the gesture. Still, something didn't seem right about him.

"I'm Emerald, we're on the same team," the girl informed. Gohan smiled. A name, and a very nice name at that. It matched her hair. Now all he had to do was introduce himself to them.

"Name's Gohan… I'm just a librarian unfortunately. No team," Gohan gave a weak smile. Emerald just chuckled. It sounded genuine, but now Gohan felt like they were both putting up some kind of act. Why would they both be like this? The interaction felt so forced for some reason...

"Well, we have team meeting soon to discuss strategies for the upcoming Vytal Festival. We better not be late. Be seeing you, Gohan," she called out as she turned to leave with her silver haired partner. Gohan waved as they walked down the street and turned the corner. They were friendly enough, but he just couldn't shake a odd foreboding feeling…

Over the years, he'd learned to trust instincts like that, so he'd have to be careful around those two. While they appeared friendly, Gohan wasn't sure if they were friend or foe. He was just about to continue walking when another person popped up behind him. This time, it was one he recognized.

"Hello again," a friendly voice started. Gohan turned around to see Pyrrha.

"Oh, hey Pyrrha. What brings you around these parts of Vale?" Gohan asked. Pyrrha chuckled a little bit at that question.

"Between Nora's constant giddiness about going on a mission tomorrow, Jaune's need to feel like everything is prepared perfectly, and Ren trying to calm Nora down, I figured I'd get some air and go for a stroll around the city. I've never been to Vale before, I come from Mistral," she informed.

He had actually never been to Vale before himself. This was his first time truly exploring what the Kingdom had to offer. He had been stuck inside of Beacon for so long that he'd forgotten that he hadn't been out here before. He had taken Yang to the Emerald Forest because she had suggested that it was a nice open area that people didn't often visit because of the Grimm.

He had to admit, this Kingdom had a nice, friendly atmosphere to it.

"Yeah, I needed some time to think about stuff too. A lot has been going on recently," Gohan said. Pyrrha gave a look of understanding. She looked a little nervous however, and it looked like she wanted to ask him something.

"I heard about what happened at the CCT. I heard that you had something to do with the attacker. I am also curious, what was that when we were talking? You… I don't know how to explain it," Pyrrha said nervously. The son of Goku sighed. He would have some explaining to do. It seemed he had been doing a lot of this lately.

It wasn't like he was trying to keep his powers a secret, but everyone that found out seemed to be very interested in learning what it was.

Before he could answer, it seemed a growl emitted from his stomach. It had just occurred to him that it was around lunch time and he hadn't eaten at all today! He had gotten up early for the training with Blake and Yang. He often ate afterwards but it seemed that his meeting with Ozpin and the other adults had replaced that today.

The red amazon warrior stifled a small laugh.

"Would you like to talk over lunch? I would be lying if I said that I wasn't looking for a nice place to eat as well. The company would be wonderful," she admitted with a generous smile. Gohan laughed.

"Sure! I wouldn't mind. I have yet to try Vale's food. Yang tells me it's pretty good!" the half-Saiyan laughed. Pyrrha brightened up.

"Oh so you are not from Vale? I guess that makes two of us," she smiled brightly. Gohan chuckled nervously.

"Yep! I live… _very_ far away," he laughed. While he wasn't trying to keep his powers a secret, admitting to the fact that he was from a different planet entirely was a whole other cup of tea. He was more than willing to keep that fact under the figurative blankets. He wasn't sure what kind of trouble that piece of information would bring his way.

He was still a little concerned that Ozpin knew. And after the older man had kept such an important secret from him, he was unsure if he could trust the man or not.

"Excellent!" she exclaimed. "Let's find somewhere nice, shall we?"

* * *

It didn't take long for Emerald and Mercury to return to their dorm room. Cinder Fall was waiting for them patiently. Albeit, she had nowhere else to be. She _was_ confined to their dorm room because of how injured she was.

"So?" Cinder started. "What did you two learn?" She had been bedridden since her little infiltration incident. Her healing was going well as she could form entire sentences now, but she was still unable to move since the pain was just too much. It wouldn't be too long now before she was fully recovered. The boy would pay for what he had done to her!

"He's the librarian, and he doesn't belong to any team," Emerald recited. Cinder growled lowly to herself. Just what the hell was Ozpin playing at? A sixteen-year-old boy who had absolutely no records of history. No date of birth, no citizenship. Who the hell was he?

And _why_ was he so _powerful_!?

"There's more to this boy than anyone is keen to let on. Neo, I want you to help Emerald and Mercury on this. I want to know what makes him tick. I want a weakness. If he's around, I feel that there is a significant threat to the success of our plan," Cinder summarized. The ice cream themed girl smiled innocently and nodded.

"Getting information on him might be easier said than done, he seems quite introverted. With our brief encounter with him, I feel like he wouldn't be interested in departing with any kind of information on his well-being, especially if his date of birth and citizenship have been ghosted," Mercury drawled in a bored tone. The half-maiden sighed to herself.

" _This boy is proving to be more trouble than I would like to admit… would killing him quietly be out of the question? If he finds out what we're doing…_ " she thought to herself. She looked back up at her two servants.

"Do whatever you have to. Spy on him, I don't care how you do it. If someone like that is capable of shattering the bones of their opponent, despite that opponent having all of their aura intact, we _need_ to find a weakness we can exploit," Cinder ordered. She looked over to Neo, the little multi-colored girl held up a piece of paper with words written on it.

'Already informed Roman 3' it read.

Cinder sighed. Things were looking more complicated than she hoped. Maybe it was time to contact her _master_. As much as she despised working for Salem, she had to admit that the Grimm Queen had a vast amount of resources when it came to information.

Her guidance would be helpful for now…

* * *

The amazon warrior had seen many things in the short seventeen years that she had been alive… but this…

This was _not_ one of them.

Pyrrha sat in shock, awe, and absolute disgust as Gohan seemed to inhale the food that was put in front of him. While the plates and dishes were stacking up like Tetris blocks on his side of the table, her single plate of untouched food sat almost cold after a solid fifteen minutes of watching the boy devour one plate of food after another.

"Phew! That was good! It's been awhile since I've had a meal like that. Thank's Pyrrha!" Gohan exclaimed with a satisfied grin on his face. She simply twitched a bit, before smiling weakly and waving it off.

"It's… no problem…" Pyrrha looked at the plates and paled slightly. How much was this all going to cost her? Her parents were going to have a fit when they found out that she had treated someone like this to a meal! "It's fine," she finished.

Then, like he had promised, Gohan explained to her the ways of ki and the differences between it and aura. Quite frankly, Pyrrha was very forthcoming in believing it. Mainly because she saw first-hand evidence when he took off from the balcony.

"I have to admit, you are less shocked than I thought you would be. Granted, Blake and Yang seemed very easy to convince of its authenticity, but you seemed to believe me right off the bat. Aren't you skeptical at all? I mean, this is something that hasn't been seen on Remnant at all," Gohan laughed. Pyrrha raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh, no that's not true at all. While I am quite shocked this is not the first time I've heard of ki before. Granted, I've never seen it before, I only read about it in books. They say monks used to practice the arts a few hundred years ago, but I don't remember reading about it giving them the ability to fly, or shoot beams of energy from their hands," Pyrrha said with a slight laugh. Gohan chuckled a bit at that as well.

"Yeah I guess they would have left that part out. Ki is dangerous, like I said. Anyone can use it. I'm already training Blake and Yang to learn how to use it. Yang's much further along since she was the first to ask," Gohan said. Pyrrha raised an eyebrow at this. Gohan already knew what she was going to ask.

"Yes," the saiyan drawled as he rolled his eyes. "I can teach you how," Gohan finished for her. Pyrrha blushed a little bit.

"Well, since you offered…" she chuckled causing the half-Saiyan to look at her curiously. "I would be a fool to turn down learning more ways to combat the Grimm. I've always thought I was meant to grow up and battle Grimm," Pyrrha explained with a small smirk. Gohan frowned.

"I walked right into that one, didn't I?" he moaned. Pyrrha nodded and laughed.

"I _wasn't_ going to ask if you could teach me," she elaborated. "I was going to ask if you could tell me where to start so I could learn on my own. But since you _did_ offer, I would be glad to join the others in their training sessions," Pyrrha giggled. Gohan sighed.

"Well, I guess Blake needs a partner to practice with. Yang's too far ahead of her anyway to actually serve as a proper sparring partner," Gohan thought outloud. Pyrrha grinned.

"Splendid!" she exclaimed. She got up, paid for the meal and bid Gohan farewell before heading off back to Beacon.

Gohan left the store feeling a little happier than he did before. He now had three students training under him. He wondered if this was a good idea. Yang started because she was interested and wanted to learn. Blake started because she was curious. He guessed Pyrrha wanted to start because she wanted to learn more ways to fight.

It seemed they all had different motivations for wanting to learn. That was certainly interesting.

He had seen Pyrrha in action many times before. She had incredible reflexes, timing, and technique. He wondered what kind of fighter she'd be once she got older. Blake seemed more agile and built for speed and fast striking, while Yang seemed to be the slower and heavier hitter. Pyrrha seemed like a combination of both. He wondered just how far he could get with the three.

Then again…

Gohan's mind drifted back to Qrow's story about Mountain Glenn. If there _were_ more Androids here on Remnant, it wouldn't hurt to have other people that were capable of fighting them should they ever turn up. Battling 17 and 18 was hard enough, but at the same time, the two always travelled together and fought together.

If there were more Androids on Remnant, he couldn't be in different places at the same time in case they attacked. Suddenly the idea of training other people how to use their energy started to make a whole lot more sense, but he needed to be able to trust those people. So far, Yang, Blake and Pyrrha seemed to be quite noble.

They seemed to want to protect people.

And that was enough for him.

And with that, he turned and made his way back to Beacon. He had spent enough time out here today. What was done was done. He couldn't change what had happened at Mountain Glenn. All he could do was move on and try and make sure that nothing like that ever happened again.

But was he really up for it?

He had a feeling his peaceful lifestyle he had been living wouldn't last much longer.

He just hoped he was wrong.

* * *

Things had gone sour very quickly for team RWBY. Their mission to Mountain Glenn had turned into a discovery of a White Fang operation run by none other than Roman Torchwick, and they'd moved to apprehend the man but he attempted to escape via train. Now they were following him, and learning that this train ride was meant for so much more than what it seemed.

"There are bombs in every carriage!" Dr. Oobleck exclaimed.

"This day is just getting worse and worse," Weiss grumbled. Dr. Oobleck ran back to his group and came up with a plan. Yang, Blake, and Weiss were to head into the train and attempt to disarm the bombs before the train hit its target. At the same time, he, Ruby, and Zwei would stay top side and attempt to stop the train by any means necessary.

"You two go on ahead. I've got this one," Yang responded with confidence, as they encountered their first enemy inside the carriage. She wanted payback for letting Torchwick escape so easily, and this ice cream themed girl was responsible.

Weiss and Blake ran on, the enemy seemingly ignoring the two of them as Yang walked right up to face her. The two combatant's postures screamed confidence, and it wasn't until Yang threw the first punch that things started.

Neo knew she had the advantage. Against a trainee huntress who had barely made it a couple of months into her time at a huntsman academy. She was a seasoned thief, murderer, and criminal who could go toe to toe with some of the toughest foes, she knew her limits, and beating this bimbo wouldn't be too tough.

However, something seemed off with this girl, and it became quickly apparent that this flirtatious blonde was anything but normal when she was fast enough to land a decent blow on her.

Neo skidded back, a decent frown on her face. Her umbrella a little damaged from the blow Yang had dealt. It was obvious that there was more to this girl than she had originally anticipated. She might have to pick up the pace and quit playing with her. That was a shame, she liked toying with her _prey_.

"You didn't think I was going to be that easy to smackdown, did ya?" Yang smirked. The blonde was bouncing on her feet, a mixture of anticipation and excitement. Neo didn't give the bimbo the satisfaction of knowing that she was starting to get on her nerves. Thus, she responded by increasing the pace of the fight.

Yang threw everything she could at her, punches, kicks… you name it, nothing connected now that the ice cream themed girl was starting to take this little skirmish a little more seriously. The little minx was far more flexible than Yang was and seemed to weave around her body like a spider monkey.

"Get off me!" Yang powered up, letting her ki explode outwards to throw Neo off. The girl landed on her feet before engaging the blonde again, this time even faster and fiercer. Neo regarded this girl as a threat, and so she would treat her like one.

Threats were to be eliminated.

Threats were a problem.

Neo didn't like problems, and Neo knew that Cinder _hated_ problems.

The criminal planted a foot in Yang's chest, causing the blonde to skid backward. She was a little winded, but at that moment Yang's eyes shifted into crimson red. She gazed up at the ice cream girl and grinned menacingly. Clearly, Yang was done playing around.

"You hit like a thirsty bitch," Yang grinned. Neo's teeth grinded. She had long since had enough of this stupid girl. Enough games. It was time to end this girl's life.

The two engaged once more. Yang throwing more hits out and Neo dodging more and giving back double the amount that Yang was giving. Neo was fast, incredibly so and Yang knew she couldn't keep up. But she knew that Neo was fragile. Her frame was petite, and her aura wouldn't be that large either. Yang knew she was strong, and plus the small strength increase from training with Gohan helped.

What Neo lacked in overall strength and larger body, she made up for in her ability to dodge and counter attacks. Her thin, borderline anorexic frame was flexible and toned enough to let her weave and maneuver her way around all of Yang's attacks. A brute like this blonde wouldn't be able to hit her when she took a fight seriously.

Yang knew if she could land one decent hit on the neapolitan colored girl, her aura would crack and the flow of battle would change. But so far that didn't seem likely because the minx of a henchwoman didn't seem the least bit tired, and she was wearing Yang down fast. Yang's stamina was still being worked on with Gohan.

Right now it wasn't enough to keep up with Neo.

" _If only I was a little bit faster, I could keep up with her speed,_ " Yang thought to herself. She was rather slow, but she made up for it with incredible power. Gohan had both speed and power on his side. He had complimented her on her strength and hitting power, but he told her that her speed was something that needed improvement on. She knew this already before. That's why she used her recoil from her gauntlets to propel her forward sometimes for that extra boost.

Neo kicked Yang into a wall. Yang's aura took another large hit, but the blonde girl was far from being done. She stood up shakily, wiping a bit of blood from her mouth. Neo grinned, but as she did so, the train horn sounded. She turned around and cursed silently to herself before giving Yang one last look before vanishing into thin air.

"Hey come back here!" Yang yelled. No answer. She scowled. What a coward, what was that horn sounding for anyway? She needed to catch up with Blake and Weiss. Hopefully Ruby and Oobleck had found a way to stop the train. But considering the train was speeding up, she doubted that was the case.

Without another glance at the carriage she was in, she moved on to catch up with her friends.

When she got to the top of the carriage, she looked towards where the train was going. She swallowed hard.

" _This isn't going to end well._ "

* * *

Sirens blared loud and clear throughout Beacon and Gohan shot up from his slumbering position in the vacant library. He had fallen asleep at his checkout desk, since most of the students were away on missions with Huntsman or other teachers, there weren't many people around campus.

Gohan wiped the sleep out of his eyes and stood up.

"What's going on?" he voiced his thoughts vocally. His head drifted towards the city of Vale, which he had been in a few hours ago.

"Vale has been breached," a voice informed from behind the half-Saiyan.

This time the boy wasn't surprised. He had gotten used to the man appearing behind him from out of nowhere all the time now. He did it to him a lot when the old mysterious man needed to have a few small chats with him. Gohan raised an eyebrow at the answer.

"Breached? Breached by what?" Gohan asked. Ozpin's eyes darkened.

"Grimm," the headmaster stated bluntly. "I don't know how, but I am certain it involves our enemies," Ozpin elaborated in an almost certain tone. Gohan turned to the city of Vale that stood strong and tall out in the distance. He could see large black birds with bone-like masks flying all around the place. Black dots ran across rooftops. The strange thing was, he couldn't sense any life force from those creatures.

"The Grimm are strange creatures. We still don't understand how they exist or where they come from. All we know, is that they are hostile, and they are and forever will be a threat to our existence. That is the primary purpose of this academy, Gohan. To train youth to protect our future, so that the next generation will survive," Ozpin explained.

Why did it seem the headmaster was guilt tripping him?

Here he was, in the middle of a combat academy, and he was hesitating to go and help. Why? He was just so _sick_ of fighting. Why did trouble always seem to follow him!? Why couldn't he just live a life of peace with his friends and family? Raditz… Vegeta… Freeza… the Androids! It never seemed to stop!

"This isn't my fight, I'm sure those huntsman can handle it," as the words left his mouth, he felt terrible for even saying it. How could he so casually brush off something like this? People were getting hurt over in Vale! He should be helping! Why wasn't he already flying over there to help?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question was lost on him.

He had fought the androids for so long… so many years. He had seen so much life vanish right before his eyes and there was nothing he could have done about it at the time. He had been so _weak_. He was powerless to stop them.

Now here he was.

Arguably one of the strongest people on the planet, and he couldn't find the spark inside of himself to go and help. It was like the fire inside of him had since burnt out. All that was left was the smoking remains of the drive to help those in need.

His battle against the androids was over. He had won. He destroyed them with his own two hands and now he felt content to sit back and let others deal with the problem. He enjoyed training and teaching Yang and Blake, and he no doubt would enjoy training Pyrrha, but he had no drive to fight anymore.

"We all have our breaking points," Ozpin started. He walked up next to Gohan and stood next to him, gazing through the windows that looked out to the city of Vale that was currently under siege by a horde of Grimm.

"You have that look about you. Your eyes tell me you have reached that point," he observed. The half-Saiyan showed no signs of acknowledging that statement, so Ozpin continued. "I won't judge you. I'm standing over here watching the chaos unfold. Spending so long fighting, those like us wish to remain outside the conflict," he spoke wisely.

Gohan clenched his hands until they went white.

"But it can only last so long until the inexperienced must look to _us_ to guide them. To help them. As long as we still breath, we must continue to help for the furtherment of our people," the headmaster spoke as if reciting a passage from a book. Gohan looked up at him.

"I feel so _selfish_ though. I'm only sixteen and yet, Yang and Blake… all the other students are out there fighting for their future. They're _my_ age, and I can't seem to find the drive to go and help them!" Gohan exclaimed. Ozpin merely sighed.

"Age has nothing to do with experience Gohan. You of all people should know that," Ozpin scolded lightly. Gohan turned back to the window and watched as a Nevermore flock descended upon the city. He could hear the explosions from here. He felt so angry at his indecision to help.

"I know of the hardships that you endured Gohan. I'm not going to pretend as though I know what it was like fighting that war all on your own with no one to stand beside you and support you. But now is the time to make a proper decision. Will you stand on the sidelines? Or will you fight alongside your friends," Ozpin smirked as he saw Gohan's expression change.

"But…"

"Gohan," Ozpin interrupted the boy. He turned to him with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "I think you and I both know that you've already made your decision," he informed the boy. It took Gohan a few moments to figure out what he had meant by that statement. It was obvious after all.

That decision had already been made for him the moment he chose to investigate what had happened at the CCT tower last night at the dance. It was clear as day what he needed to do. Without another word, Gohan turned and made his way for the exit.

Moments later the silver haired headmaster smiled as he turned to see a streak of white light dashing towards the city of Vale.

"That's right Gohan. I know you're not the kind of person to just stand on the sidelines. You've done that enough already."

Gohan tore towards the city in a streak of white light, his body glowing with unrivalled power. It didn't take him long to reach the chaos. He sped over the city, seeing Grimm everywhere. People were screaming and running. They were crying out for someone to save them.

He could see bodies in the street, and people had already lost their lives. The hunters seemed to be doing the best they could but it just wasn't enough. Looking over he saw Yang battling off hordes of Grimm that seemed to be pouring out of a hole in the plaza. From the looks of it, she was starting to get more exhausted with every punch she threw.

Gohan arrived and floated above the main courtyard square where the breach had happened. He froze up there for a few moments, just taking in all the chaos and negativity. All the hate and all the hurt that seemed to be radiating from the ground below him. Grimm poured out of every hole in the ground!

Shops were damaged, streets were ruined and people were hurt.

It brought back so many painful memories. Memories of Androids Seventeen and Eighteen. Those monsters held no regard for human life. They thrived in the suffering of others. The difference between them and the Grimm was that the Grimm seemed to be mindless. Just savage wild animals with no soul.

Those Androids were once people. They had emotions, they had free will.

They had a choice.

And they chose to make everyone miserable.

He could still remember the day when hope seemed to dwindle to nothing...

* * *

 _Age 767 - Earth_

"We can't just stand here and do nothing!" Gohan growled.

For every day that they waited, more people died, and hope was starting to slowly fall out of their grasp. His mentor stood with his large frame turned away from the half-Saiyan. They were currently standing on Kami's Lookout. The wise Namekian stared out over the Earth, concern in his eyes.

"And do what Gohan?" Piccolo turned to the smaller boy. Gohan took a step back. Piccolo's eyes were fierce and full of anger. He too was angry, but nothing they could do would change anything that was happening down below. Cities were burning and people were dying by the hour.

"Everyone else is dead. Vegeta, Tien, Yamcha and Krillin. They're all gone Gohan! We vastly underestimated these Androids! Vegeta was a Super Saiyan and even he stood _no_ chance… so you tell me," Piccolo growled. "WHAT CHANCE DO WE HAVE?"

"We have to do something!" Gohan screamed. Piccolo threw his hand to his side in anger. It was clear that both of these fighters were conflicted. Gohan _hated_ standing on the sidelines, watching the hope of the Earth dwindle to nothing. Everyone he cared about were dying around him. Piccolo had to stay on the sidelines for the safety of the Earth.

Without him, there were no Dragon Balls.

"If we go now, all we will be doing is digging our own graves. We have to remain out of sight and prepare for our next encounter. As of right now, we _aren't_ strong enough!" The words stung, and they were the truth as well. Realistically, Gohan knew the Androids would slaughter them if they went to fight, but standing around and watching people die was _not_ who he was.

"FINE!" the boy shot back. He powered up, a white aura surrounding him. "I'm going! Stay here if you want, but I will _not_ let these Androids get away with this anymore!" Gohan took off leaving Piccolo standing in shock on the Lookout. He turned to see Gohan already flying off into the distance. The boy was fast when he needed to be.

"GOHAN!" Piccolo yelled. He growled as he powered up, his white cape lifting and blowing in an invisible breeze. The boy had spirit, but he was worried that he had _too_ much spirit. It was going to get him killed if he let him go. Gohan might be the only hope this world had left!

" _You stupid boy!_ " Piccolo thought in anger as he took off into the sky. Flying after Gohan wasn't hard, it was catching up with the incredibly fast hybrid Saiyan that was the problem. He could feel Gohan's energy growing as he approached one of the cities that the Androids were currently attacking.

The moment Gohan arrived in the city, he found the Androids taking pleasure in slaughtering the innocent. Playing games and challenging each other to who could kill the most humans. It made Gohan sick to his stomach. They were worse than Freeza, and that's saying something. Treating life like a game… he wouldn't stand for this.

"THAT'S IT!" Gohan charged and collided with Android 18, sending her spiraling into a building. 17 merely turned and looked at the newcomer who had dared to interrupt their fun. A wicked grin broke out on the black haired Android's face.

"Well, if it isn't the little guy himself. How have you been?" the Android mocked. Gohan flew into a rage, attacking the Android. The teenage cyborg was forced to dodge all of his attacks. 17 laughed as Gohan's attacks proved fruitless. All them missed or were blocked.

"You've certainly improved, I'll give you that," he laughed. "But it ain't enough to beat me!" 17 slammed a fist into the ten year old's gut. The sheer power and force behind the attack brought blood spewing out of his mouth. 17 grinned in satisfaction as Gohan clutched his stomach, floating backwards. Suddenly Android 18 shot up behind the boy and nailed him in the back of the head, sending the boy crashing into the ground.

"God, how rude! And I thought the kid was supposed to have good manners. Attacking me when I wasn't even looking," 18 brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and charged an energy blast, aiming to where Gohan had crashed into the ground. 17 grabbed her arm, stopping her attack.

"Hey come on sis', we'll be blowing weeks worth of fun if we kill him now. Remember what we agreed? Kill one of them each time they attack us," 17 laughed. 18 scowled at him. "Killing them all at once would be _boring._ " he finished. 18 sighed and let the blast in her hand fire off into another part of the city, killing thousands more innocent people.

"Fine, whatever," she muttered.

"Makankosappo!" the attack rained down from the sky and drilled into Android 17, sending him right into the ground next to Gohan. Piccolo dropped down from the sky and nailed 18 in the face, sending her speeding into another building. The Namekian landed next to Gohan with a senzu bean in hand.

"Gohan! Get up! The fight's not over yet!" Piccolo growled desperately. He shoved the green bean into Gohan's mouth before he was smacked away by an annoyed Android 17. The boy's shirt was all ruined and tattered from the attack. The Android himself was even smoking from the attack.

"Now that…" the Android charged a blast in his hand. "I might just kill you for," 17 charged Piccolo. The green Namekian removed his weighted clothing and readied himself for a fight. He knew he could match at least one of the Androids. After his training, he could probably kill one, the problem was they liked to team up on people.

" _Come on Gohan, get up!_ " Piccolo thought desperately as he saw Android 18 climb out of the wreckage of the building she had landed in. She didn't look happy in the slightest. On the bright side, he sensed Gohan's energy skyrocket. He had stood up out of the hole he had landed in looking refreshed and ready.

"How would you like to die today?" 17 smirked as Piccolo blocked another vicious blow.

"Gohan! Hold off the girl, I'll take this guy!" Piccolo ordered. Gohan nodded fiercely and powered up. 18 scowled as she landed in front of the boy. The boy was wearing what the Namek was wearing, except the boy had a red waist belt and a white neck warmer. His long black hair had grown out since they had last seen the boy.

"You really think you can stand up to me?" she scowled. Gohan merely adopted a fighting stance. She laughed. "I usually leave killing children to 17, but I can make an exception for _you_ ," she shot forward and threw a punch. Gohan just managed to block it. Her smirk widened.

"Oh? You're certainly better than you were last time, I'll give you that," the two engaged in a high speed fight. Gohan was just barely able to keep up with the murderous Android. Fighting at full power was putting a strain on his body, but the training with his mentor had helped him to adjust to it.

She kicked him off, sending him through multiple buildings and crashing into the ground. She appeared behind him and picked up him by the front of his clothes. She pulled him up to her face.

"I thought you were supposed to be the son of Goku. How can you be this weak?" she wondered aloud. Gohan growled. He reared his head back and slammed it into her forehead. She dropped him in pain. Blood leaked down his forehead as he dropped to his knees. 18 stumbled back, clutching her forehead in pain.

"You _brat_ …!" she cursed. "I'm going to enjoy making you suffer," she dashed towards him after recovering. Gohan became her own personal punching bag. She kicked him through walls, sent energy blasts his way. It was never enough to outright kill him though. She wanted him to suffer for the amount of damage he had done to her.

"17! You almost done over there?" 18 called out as she picked up Gohan's barely conscious body. She got her answer when Piccolo was sent crashing through a building and landed at her feet. He was missing an arm and had sustained heavy damage. 17 came down and touched down by his sister, looking like he had just been in the fight of his life.

"Jeez, that guy got strong. I was lucky." 17 raised an arm to finish off Piccolo. "I'm making sure you don't get any stronger," 17 growled as the blast in his hand expanded. 18 smirked as she dropped Gohan to the ground so that he was facing Piccolo. She bent down and pulled back his hair, making sure he got a good view of his friends demise.

"Open your eyes _brat_ , I wouldn't want you to miss the show," 18 laughed as she forced Gohan to open his eyes. The moment he did, he looked directly at Piccolo's defeated form. The Namekian opened his eyes and gazed at Gohan. The ten year old Saiyan hybrid's eyes widened as tears started to fall.

"Good-bye... Gohan…" Piccolo breathed his last. The blast fired.

"NOOOOOOO!" his anguished screams were in vain as Piccolo was killed right before his eyes. One of his first friends… mentor, and even one of his father figures had just been destroyed right in front of his eyes. The pain was unbearable… it pushed him right towards the edge.

"Well, that settles that," 17 sighed, dusting off his hands. "No more green man to bother us," he laughed as he turned to Gohan. The boy in question was shaking in cold fury. Nothing could compare to the amount of pain he was feeling right now. It was building up inside of him like a bubbling volcano.

"Oh look at that, the kid's crying…" 17 chuckled. 18 kicked the boy in the stomach, sending a wave of agony through the boy's body. 18 laughed as she did so over and over again, his small body withering in pain, tears streaming down his face.

" _Piccolo…_ " the word brought pain to his body. Worse than whatever the android was doing. " _I let you die…_ " anger started to build up like a bubbling volcano. An uncomfortable heat burned inside his chest. With every kick, the android's laugh echoed through his skull.

" _ENOUGH!_ "

Then his rage snapped.

He caught her leg.

"What?-" she was cut off by an ear splitting scream.

A golden light erupted around Gohan's form as he drifted off the ground and rose into the air. 18 tried to remove his grip but it was like an iron clamp around her ankle. The next thing she knew, she was sent spinning into a nearby building for about the third time that day. 17 laughed as he watched his sister hit the building.

"And that's what you get for antagonizing the kid-" 17's face was suddenly throbbing with pain as he found himself on his back and skidding towards a pile of debris. He growled, wiping away a streak of blood that trailed out of his mouth. Before he even had the chance to stand up the boy was standing in front of him.

Golden hair.

Sea green teal eyes.

Gohan had transformed into a Super Saiyan.

"KAMEHAME HAAAA!" the blast hit point-blank, engulfing 17 in a wave of pain. The Android didn't even have time to react before the blast had hit him.

Gohan landed a fair bit away from the two Androids, seething with new found rage and power. The golden aura circling his body like a wild flame. He wasn't about to lose to these monsters. Not here! Not after they had killed Piccolo and everyone he had cared about!

Piccolo!

The mere thought of the name sent waves of power throughout his body, that was accompanied with rage. Golden light flooded the area like a tidal wave as Gohan's screams echoed off the destroyed buildings. Structures crumbled and the Earth shook from the sheer power that was exerted from the half-Saiyan warrior.

17 was still in one piece when 18 landed next to him. His clothes were torn, and he was severely hurt. That's what he got for leaving his guard down. They both looked over to the golden warrior, who was about to rush them. They had dealt with stronger, and they both looked as calm as ever.

If they worked together, the boy wouldn't stand a chance.

They were right.

"He's doing that trick that Vegeta used," 18 mused. 17 sighed.

"He's nowhere close to as strong as Vegeta was. Let's just knock him out. If we kill him now, we run out of fun for the next couple of years," 17 remarked. 18 scowled as she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and adjusted her torn top. She was a bit revealing, but modesty wasn't a factor in a battle like this.

The two Androids charged the boy.

Even with his new found power.

He never stood a chance.

* * *

 _Present Day_

Thinking back on it now… he was lucky that they had let him live. The arrogance of those Androids had been their downfall. They had constantly let him live after the battles that he had gotten into with them over the years. But they slowly got more ruthless as time went on.

After he had turned thirteen years old, he had to escape in order to live. They got less patient, and wanted to kill him more as he got stronger.

He could still hear the screams, the people crying out for help. It was the same kind of screams wherever he looked or had been. Androids… Grimm… screams for help were the same no matter the circumstance, and he knew that. Just hovering over the chaos now, he could see it. The Androids…

17 and 18 and their sadistic gazes.

A fury burnt inside of him.

The will to fight. The will to protect.

The spark had reignited once more.

"No more pain. No more suffering..." Gohan muttered. A brilliant white aura exploded around him as he raised his hands into the air. Gohan let loose a deep scream as he powered up and pushed his power to the absolute limit. He'd end this invasion in an _instant_. No one else would die today. Not on his watch!

A glorious light emitted from the top of his hands as everyone turned to watch. A giant dome of energy expanded from Gohan's body and exploded outwards as the scream drowned out the area of any other sound. The sheer power that was exerted was enough to make anyone down below stop and stare as the dome of white energy engulfed them all.

Yang and Blake could only turn and stare with wide amazed eyes as the dome of light swallowed up the majority of Vale. The screams and cries of Grimm dying around them could be heard for miles as every creature of darkness was purged by the holy light that seemingly refused to stop growing.

Every spawn of darkness was vanquished, and when the light had dissipated, all the evil that was pouring in from the tunnel entrance was gone.

The darkness had been purged by the light.

* * *

The aftermath of the event proved to be both confusing and terrifying for the followers of Cinder who were present for the event. All the buildings were still intact, and everyone around seemed to be adjusting to what had just happened. No one had been hurt in the strange blast.

No one could say the same for the Grimm though.

There wasn't a single one in sight.

"Holy shit… did you see that?" Emerald whispered to her partner. Mercury swallowed hard. He nodded. He didn't have the words to describe what he had just seen. Every single Grimm had been killed. There had to have been thousands. Despite the plan going off a little too early and ahead of schedule, the Breach still should have had a lasting impact on Vale.

Now it seemed the plan was a bust.

Vale was safe once more and the people seemed to be feeling good and positive considering the resident _Superman_ just saved everybody from almost certain doom. The expected damage Cinder and Roman had planned was supposed to be almost twenty times more than what they were seeing right now. This was not boding well for them.

"How are we going to explain this to the boss?" Mercury asked. Emerald wasn't sure what to say.

"I don't think we have too. Cinder probably saw it from Beacon. You would have to be blind not to see something like that..." Emerald gasped as she watch the boy descend to the ground, still clad in a brilliant white aura. How was someone capable of such a feat? This boy was no ordinary person by a long shot.

She was actually wondering if this kid was some kind of _god_.

"I think we should… go _talk_ to Roman. You know, _arrest_ him and inform him of Cinder's condition before we miss our chance." Emerald shook a bit. There was genuine fear in her eyes, and Mercury didn't blame her. He didn't want to get on Cinder's bad side! He didn't even want to know what this kid was capable of when pissed off.

"Great… things just got much harder for us." Mercury groaned.

* * *

"Like I said. Ki is _dangerous_ ," Gohan whispered to the three girls that knew what the energy was. He stood in front of teams JNPR and teams RWBY as Roman Torchwick was being escorted into a prisoner bullhead to be taken away and interrogated. The orange haired man seemed to be staring at Gohan, studying him a little out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah… I know, but to do something like that! I… I'm still at a loss as to how it's possible," Blake was struggling to find the words to describe what she had just witnessed. It defied all logic and reason… but she thought the same a few weeks ago about the thought of Yang flying. A certain red-hooded huntress in training seemed confused about the whole situation.

"What's going on? What was that light?" she questioned. Both Yang and Blake gave her strained looks. "Can someone explain to me what I'm missing?" Ruby confessed. Weiss crossed her arms and frowned at said boy who displayed such a feat.

"I would like to know as well," Weiss cut in, narrowing her eyes at Gohan. "Nothing like this has ever happened before! Not even the best Huntsman in the world could have pulled off such a stunt like that... What was that and how on Remnant did you manage to do it?" the Ice Queen demanded. Before anyone could answer a new voice entered the fray.

"Alright kiddies. Show's over. Head back to Beacon and leave the grown-ups to deal with this mess," Qrow interrupted, as he walked in between the groups. Ruby's reaction was instantaneous.

"Uncle Qrow!" she squealed. Like a rocket, she exploded forward towards the man in a flurry of rose petals and attempted to tackle him. She latched around his waist and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. She had an adorable grin plastered all over her face. Qrow stood his ground, unmoved by the assault.

"Hey Uncle Qrow, what are you doing here?" Yang asked, approaching the older man. He merely smiled, it had been awhile since he had seen Yang. Her resemblance to Raven was getting more apparent over the years it seemed.

"Damage control. Glynda and the other teachers arrived to help. Taiyang was lazy, he stayed back at Signal," Qrow explained. Yang rolled her eyes knowing that it was just like her dad to do something like that. Ruby giggled at that.

"That sounds like dad alright," Ruby giggled. Qrow just chuckled.

"Alright twerp," Qrow pulled the excited crimsonette off his body. "The lot of you need to return to Beacon. We will take it from here," Qrow informed the confused students as he gestured to the teachers. Some of the fourth-year students had arrived to help with the damage control and repairs of this part of the city. A couple of them had been recalled from their missions to help clean up the mess.

"Sure thing. Come on guys, let's go," Ruby replied. Hesitantly, both team JNPR and RWBY, minus the half-Saiyan, turned around to make their way to the bullheads that were still transporting people away from the zone that had been quarantined for the time being. Repairs needed to be made and the area needed to be cleared for any remaining Grimm.

"Nikos, Belladonna and Yang. You three stay here," Qrow ordered suddenly, in a more serious tone. Both teams stopped and looked at each other, and Gohan felt like he had something to do with this. Qrow hadn't asked him to leave, and he was specifically talking to the two first year teams.

"May we ask why?" Jaune asked. Qrow scowled.

"None of your business, blondie. The rest of you head back to Beacon and give a report to Ozpin. Ruby, he's waiting to hear about what happened at Mountain Glenn," Qrow remarked darkly. Gohan's eyes raised at that.

Ruby's team had been at Mountain Glenn? He had been meaning to go over there to look for any clues related to Qrow's story. If there were any patterns of clues he could find, then it would be over there. He didn't hold up much hope, but he still had to look when he found the time.

Qrow's tone left no room to argue. The teams hesitantly parted ways with the three that were named. Ruby looked rather sad and confused Qrow had asked for Blake and Yang instead of her. Qrow had always been her favorite, and her hero since mom had died. He was her role model. He had trained her and taught her everything he knew.

She felt a bit bitter when Qrow had left her out.

Jaune was feeling skeptical about the whole thing. And he could tell that Weiss and Ren were feeling the same way. Qrow had picked out three of them, and it just so happened to be the three that Gohan had interacted with the most.

He knew Pyrrha had been thinking about the librarian since the dance. He didn't know why, but it didn't really bother him too much for him to simply let it slide.

Ruby and Weiss, along with the remnants of team JNPR left without another word, save a few glances. Once they had left, Qrow turned to Gohan and scowled a little. The half-Saiyan felt a bit awkward all of a sudden.

"I appreciate you coming to help everyone Gohan, but you could have done so a bit more _subtly_. You just announced your abilities and presence to everyone in Vale. I'm willing to bet this will reach the other kingdoms by tomorrow morning," Qrow drawled in annoyance. Gohan sighed.

"I just sort of reacted. Sorry," Gohan apologized. The older man just sighed. He had saved a lot of people today. A lot people could have died. Ki was a strange yet mind blowing power in the eyes of Remnant's inhabitants, and Qrow knew it was only a matter of time before people started to question what exactly happened here today.

"That's the kind of reaction somebody who wants to fight and make a difference has. I know what you have told Ozpin, Gohan. I'm going to tell you this now because you need to hear it," Qrow remarked as he turned to the young sixteen-year-old. The three huntresses who stayed behind listened in silence.

"Life is a never-ending battle. No matter how much it rips from you, and no matter how hard you fight back. It will always get the best of you. You just have ta' have the courage to stand back up, and keep moving forward. I've been fighting the Grimm for almost thirty years. Not just Grimm but other threats too. I've wanted to give up so many times, but I refused to, I'm stubborn that way," Qrow smiled as he walked up to Gohan and placed a hand on his shoulder.

For a brief moment, Qrow Branwen reminded him of his mentor Piccolo.

"I know you've been through hell and back kid, but that ain't no reason to give up fighting. Keep moving forward, and never look back to the past. It only brings you pain. Learn from what has happened and make sure that history doesn't repeat itself," Qrow finished. Gohan thought heavily about this. His decision to quit fighting.

He had been living happily so far. While he did want to return home someday, he was enjoying this peaceful life here in Remnant so far. The people were nice and he had people his own age to talk to and socialize with. His thoughts drifted to his father.

Goku.

The man that would never give up. The man that he looked up to in life. The man that was always ready to face the next challenge. Whether it be his uncle Raditz, or the tyrannical monster Freeza. He was always ready to stand up against them to protect those he loved.

Piccolo.

His first real friend and mentor. When his father had died, the Namekian had kidnapped him to train him for the encounter with the Saiyans that were to arrive on Earth, one year after Raditz had landed. That year had been hell for him, but Piccolo grew on him, as did he on Piccolo. The two shared a powerful bond towards the end, and Piccolo even gave his life for him.

The silhouette of the large green Namekian standing in front of Gohan to shield him from a blast that would have undoubtedly killed him had it hit. It was something his father would do. The two father figures in his life, happened to be the strongest fighters he knew. The two people he looked up to.

There was that lurking shadow in the back of his head, that horrible feeling that he had brought something to this world that was far beyond anything anyone here was ready to fight, the Grimm seemed to be bad enough but killer Androids? That was a whole different slice of cake all together.

Wasn't he strong enough already? But it was that problem right there.

 _Was_ he strong enough already…?

It was that mind set that had cost his friends their lives! If they had known about the threat ahead of time, things might have been different. His father wouldn't have had that problem, because he was training ever since he had gotten back from Namek. He would have been prepared if the sickness hadn't killed him before he had the chance to fight them.

Piccolo was relatively the same. He was a Namekian that came from the fighting clan of Namek, while Kami came from the Dragon Clan. While they were originally the same person, they were at the same time, two different beings. Piccolo would always be training himself to get stronger.

"I will fight," Gohan started. "There are still threats here, and as long as I have the power to stop them, I will make sure I fight till my last breath," he finished. Qrow nodded sagely at the boy's words. They were full of conviction.

Pyrrha coughed, gathering the attention of everyone present.

"Not to intrude or anything, but what exactly are we here for?" Pyrrha asked gesturing to Yang and Blake. The other two nodded, wanting to know what exactly was going on that involved, specifically them to stay behind. Qrow looked up and regarded them.

"Well, it has come to my attention that Gohan has agreed to train you three in mastering ki. Ozpin has asked me to fetch you three plus your young teacher here for a meeting. I am to be there as well. So here I am. We should probably go, he's waiting," Qrow explained. Yang rolled her eyes in dramatic fashion.

"Oh boy, I wonder what this could be about," she drawled. The black cat faunus scoffed.

"I think it's pretty obvious,"

"Keep giving me that sass and I _will_ drown you the next time I catch you reading that smut in our bathroom."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **ANNND CUT! That's a wrap folks. So a lot of information was dropped on you guys this chapter. I hope I didn't break anyone's expectations. So now we have Pyrrha, Blake and Yang learning ki. I will say that it stops here. Just these three and no one else.**

 **At least not until after Volume 3. Their part of the main characters for this story for a reason.**

 **You guys will be seeing the big bad very soon. Big bad villain will be making his grand entrance in chapter SIX. So look forward to that. Some of you after seeing that flashback might have clued in to who it is…**

 **Now it's time to answer reviews!**

* * *

 _ **Jackalope89:**_

 **In regards to chapter one, I completely understand where you're coming from. That kind of stuff I easily glance over when I'm editing. It's why I have Moose editing for me now, to clean that kind of stuff up for me. I keep stating that Ozpin might (and I say that very lightly) be as powerful as Gohan, purely based on how Remnant has changed in this chapter. It was what I was eluding to.**

 **Ozpin and Qrow have known about ki after what happened at Mountain Glenn thirteen years prior to Gohan waking up. They've both done their research and have had amples amount of time to learn what it's strengths and weaknesses are. I was trying to foreshadow it for this chapter, but I may have done so too strongly and that's why it felt like I was bashing you over the head with it! Sorry!**

 **In regards to the students, it's probably an error in my writing. What I was meant to say was that the students had potential to be able to help with the Androids. While nowhere near even close to their strength levels, I would like to believe that Ruby and Co. are MUCH stronger than the average human. (I don't mean Krillin or Tien) (Maybe Yamcha) (Okay maybe not, that was a joke...)**

 **Teaching characters ki (or energy) might be a problem for you because it is a large focal point of the story. While Gohan will always remain ahead of the RWBY cast in that regard, they will still be learning it eventually. I'm not sure how this will affect you continuing to read, but I hope you can look past it.**

 **It's just Blake, Pyrrha and Yang that start off with it. But I'm not going to lie. Other characters will be learning much later in the story. That is all that I will be saying. I hope you can look past this.**

 _ **6tailedninja:**_

 **Oh buddy… we haven't even reached close to critical mass yet. If you think that reveal was big… you just wait…!**

 _ **Antihero (Guest):**_

 **Not many teams at all. Only a select few individuals. Gohan is possibly the strongest person on Remnant no doubt, but I'm willing to bet on the fact that there are multiple people on Remnant that don't need strength to beat him.**

 **Like both Moose and myself have said before, strength and power aren't the only factors in a fight. Remember how Goku was the strongest being in the universe after beating Freeza? (not including Beerus or Whis) and he died to something as simple as a heart virus.**

 **What I'm saying is that if Gohan can't be beaten in a physical battle, his opponents might fall back on other tactics. More lowly, but they're villains. What can you expect? They will do anything they can to get the upper hand.**

 **People have to realize that I haven't nerfed Gohan. As of now, he's the strongest person on Remnant for sure. But that does not unkillable or beatable. He's still a person with flaws and weaknesses. It doesn't matter if he can destroy planets or is capable of that kind of stuff. Even the strongest of people can fall to something very small.**

 **Like sickness.**

 **Or poison.**

 **Everyone needs to stop assuming that Gohan or any other DBZ character are unkillable. Sure they are capable of planetary and universal busting feats but if they're not careful or not watching and keeping their guard up, someone might get lucky.**

 **Case and point, Goku from Fukkatsu no F.**

 **He got shot in the back by a simple laser cannon. It almost killed him if it wasn't for a senzu bean.**

 **No Gohan will not grow his tail back.**

 _ **123GOHANZ:**_

 **Holy moly another huge review! Let's get right into it! What's left to challenge Gohan? Well, you will find out in chapter six. But if you try picked up on the points in this chapter, it might not be hard to think about who the big bad will be.**

 **Also like I said above. Gohan maybe the strongest, but that doesn't mean that he's unbeatable by the lower tier characters.**

* * *

 **That's it guys! See you in (probably) two weeks!**


	5. The Lookout

**A/N:**

 **Alright, guys, I need to be honest here. I've stuffed up big time. I wrote a bullshit idea into this story that honestly has no place being here. I've tried to think of ways to remove it, but at this point, it's so engraved into the pre-written work that it's impossible to get rid off without mucking up the story.**

 **When I originally came up with the idea, I thought it would be a cool feature to introduce into the story. Little did I know I was falling into the trap of developing Gohan to have virtually no flaws. This goes completely against what I want, but it's too late to remove it at this point, so I'm going to have to beg you guys to look past it.**

 **I won't be pulling anything like this again in future chapters. I tried my hardest to make it seem justifiable, but no matter how much I rework the concept, it still brings about an aspect of Gohan that really shouldn't be there. It pushes him OOC (out of character) and I despise stories that do that. In saying that, I will try my best to keep him in character in future chapters.**

 **I'm sure you can tell what I'm talking about by the chapter title alone.**

 **I hope you guys can look past this. I really do. It has and will remain an important part of the story. For those of you who have a problem with it, I'm terribly sorry. I tried my best to try and get rid of it, but it really screws with things that I've already pre-written. It's just a glaring issue that I'm going to have to ignore now. It's too deeply ingrained into what I've already done to change it now.**

 **Unfortunately, Moose was unable to do the indepth editing for this chapter like he has done for the past 3 chapters. He has been extremely busy lately and I wanted to cut him some slack. So Sid89 helped me out by beta reading so thanks heaps for that!**

 **Anyway, moving past that. This is the fifth chapter. Next chapter we will be seeing the big bad. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Reasoning as to why this chapter is so late is basically what I have said above.**

* * *

Chapter Five: The Lookout

The three girls, with the additions of Gohan and Qrow, made their way up Beacon Academy's highest tower. The walk was somewhat nerve-wracking for the three girls. Gohan looked rather impassive, having had a conversation with Ozpin earlier today, and Qrow was too busy downing the rest of the alcohol in his flask to care.

When they got to the top, the group walked out into the large clockwork themed room. The silver-haired headmaster was standing by the window, watching over Vale with a distant look on his face. They saw his eyes in the reflection of the glass, following different ships that were trailing back and forth between the city and Beacon.

"Take a seat," he commanded in a calm, yet stern voice before anyone could say a word. The three girls did as they were told, too busy trading looks of intrigue and curiosity to make a sound. The half-Saiyan and the drunkard decided to remain standing a few feet behind them.

Ozpin turned to reveal a somber expression on his face. The group present couldn't even imagine what the mysterious man was thinking.

"I hope your trip here wasn't too difficult," he started, casually turning to face them and strolling over to his desk. Resting his cane next to him and placing his elbows on the surface of his desk once he was seated, he turned an intrigued gaze toward the three girls in front of him. Three different personalities and a trio of capable warriors. "I will try and keep this brief," he continued.

"What are _we_ here for Professor?" the amazon warrior asked, gesturing to her two friends sitting next to her. Qrow and Gohan were logical candidates for a conversation with Ozpin, but why did the headmaster want to speak with her, Yang, and Blake? Unless… maybe it had something to do with this strange energy they were learning to use from teenage librarian. Actually, now that she thought about it, that probably was the reason.

"That's a good question, Ms. Nikos. Would any of you like to take a guess?" Ozpin asked, his eyes switching between the trio of girls. Blake's features simply deformed into a scowl.

"I would rather you just tell us instead of keeping us in suspense," she remarked in a sour tone. She was never one for a game of twenty questions. All she currently wanted to do was to go back to bed and recount the events of the day, especially what Gohan had managed to pull off in the town square.

"This has something to with us learning about our life energy, doesn't it?" Yang chuckled lightly. The headmaster only responded with a slight nod. The expressions on the girl's faces didn't change much. Yang and Blake remained rather unmoved, while Pyrrha looked over toward her two friends. So what Gohan had told her was correct. They _were_ learning…

"You would be correct Ms. Xiao Long."

"Uh… can you just call me Yang? Saying that makes me sound old."

"Of course, Ms. Xiao Long."

"What?-arg, just forget it," Yang mumbled. Qrow stifled a chuckle while Ozpin's lips curved into a small smile. The son of Goku had to hold back his laughter as well. It wasn't often that you saw Ozpin's sense of humor. In fact... he wasn't sure if he had ever seen it, to begin with, and he had gotten Yang of all people!

"Moving right along," Ozpin cut-in, silencing everyone in the room. "I've asked to speak with you three, as well as Gohan because it has come to my attention that you've all agreed to train under him. Pyrrha being the latest addition, of course," Ozpin remarked. Blake and Yang turned to look at Pyrrha, the amazon warrior raising her hands in a surrender motion.

"I-I… _he_ offered!" Pyrrha defended. Yang laughed, patting Pyrrha on the back.

"I wasn't judging you. Jeez, lighten up Pyr," she chuckled. Blake snorted.

"I'm finding that to be increasingly difficult to do after the day we've had, Yang. Can we just listen to what Professor Ozpin has to say?" Blake chided. The blonde sighed before folding her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"Fine," Yang grumbled. " _Buzzkill,_ "

"I heard that," Blake shot back. Qrow growled.

"Both of you zip it," the older huntsman snapped viciously, his tone leaving no room for argument. Qrow couldn't believe they were getting sidetracked so easily. He'd assumed that Ozpin would have cut-in by now, but the man's passive expression told Qrow that he was letting the girls bicker for his own amusement. Seriously, sometimes Oz could be so weird.

"Continue Oz," Qrow respectfully said. Ozpin nodded thankfully.

"I believe you three are well aware of this power's capabilities, yes?" Ozpin asked. The girls nodded, Blake somewhat more hesitant than the other two. "Gohan's demonstration in the plaza today was an incredible feat, even by veteran huntsman standards," Ozpin commented. Gohan sighed internally.

" _I just made myself a target, didn't I?_ " he thought depressively. The red-headed amazon warrior turned toward the young Saiyan.

"What exactly _was_ that?" Pyrrha asked. This time, Gohan's sigh was external. How exactly was he going to explain this one?

"Well, you see...I expelled a large amount of energy out of my body that was bright enough and strong enough to target all of the Grimm in the area and eradicate them. It was an intricate technique I developed a few years ago when I was younger. It takes a lot out of me, though," he explained.

"There were thousands of Grimm…" Blake commented in amazement. Gohan rolled his eyes.

"They weren't exactly strong," he informed.

"Exactly," Ozpin cut-in. "Grimm are exceptionally fragile against this destructive power. The only reason why we have been struggling with the Grimm for centuries is because they have strength in numbers. Alone, they are powerless and weak," the professor explained. They watched as he stood up out of his seat.

"The Grimm are _afraid_ of this power," Qrow added. The drunkard had a look of seriousness on his face. "They lack a soul. They aren't even truly alive. They are darkness personified and life energy is another form of light," the man elaborated. Gohan shook his head.

"But that doesn't mean that this power can't be used for selfish reasons. I've seen people abuse it for their own gain. They hurt and kill people for strength and power. Just because it's a power based in _light_ , that doesn't mean it will always be used for good," the half-Saiyan explained. Qrow and Ozpin shared a knowing look. The Androids were a prime example of this.

But that wasn't what they were getting at.

"I was meaning in a more literal sense, Gohan," Ozpin retorted. Gohan raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Yang held her head in confusion.

"Are you guys following this? I'm not…" she murmured to her friends. Blake had a strained look on her face while Pyrrha was thoroughly invested in the conversation taking place. She didn't exactly grasp the meaning behind what was being said, but she was trying her hardest to understand where this conversation was heading.

"People know that the Grimm lack a soul, therefore they lack the means of producing this energy that we use. They are not capable of using aura, and they are not capable of producing life energy. They are essentially _not_ living creatures," the headmaster explained to the Saiyan hybrid. Gohan's interest was higher than ever after hearing this.

"Then what exactly are they?" he asked. Ozpin brought his hands together.

"Creatures of _darkness_ ," he said.

" _Literal_ darkness," Qrow added. "It's why they fade away into the shadows after they are killed. They don't bleed, and they barely feel pain. They don't feed, they don't reproduce. They only exist to cause pain and suffering," Qrow summarized.

"And life energy is what the Grimm are weak too?" Blake asked, breaking into the conversation. Ozpin nodded.

"Exactly, Ms. Belladonna. I believe the Grimm are weak to life energy," he responded. Pyrrha scratched the back of her neck, obvious confusion gracing her features.

"Okay… I still don't see why you needed to talk with us, though. While it is nice to have a confirmation about a weakness that we can exploit against the Grimm, I feel like you called us here for another reason," Pyrrha commented. Qrow sighed as he watched the Headmaster's expression change. Slowly, the silver-haired man sat down.

"The Grimm…" he started. The girls paid extra attention to him now. "While they are a significant threat to humanity, it is not the threat we should be truly worried about," Ozpin continued. Yang looked at her friends strangely, all of them sharing knowing looks. Qrow could only remain silent while Gohan found himself staring at the floor.

"...Then what is?" Yang asked. She looked unsure, along with Pyrrha. Blake had a different expression, as though she knew something her friends didn't.

"Oh come on, firecracker, wake up," Qrow drawled. Yang turned to him and scowled. "The Grimm are mindless animals. Any old huntsman worth their salt could defeat a herd of Beowulf's or kill an Ursa. Think for a moment, what is humanity's _real_ threat?" Qrow asked her. Yang wasn't the one to answer it. Instead, her partner spoke up.

"Ourselves," the black bowed faunus stated.

Everyone looked at her. She looked around and sighed.

" _We_ are our own worst enemies. Think about it for a moment," Blake elaborated, turning towards her partner. "The Great War… the constant conflict between humans and faunus. The divide in beliefs. The White Fang… Torchwick," Blake looked at her partner, and then to Ozpin. The old professor sighed.

"Ms. Belladonna is right. There are people out there that are more capable of inflicting worse damage than an army of Grimm ever could," Ozpin explained. The drunkard huntsman scoffed.

"All it would take is for someone to fire the first shot… then people would point the blame, and eventually…" Qrow trailed off. Pyrrha frowned.

"War…" she finished for the group.

"I have asked you here today because of the power you three are capable of possessing. Ki is incredibly dangerous, and in the wrong hands, could cause mass disaster and damage," Ozpin explained. "We have enemies. People that seek to destroy us and our way of life, and I believe that you girls are capable of protecting the future of humanity," Ozpin concluded, getting straight to the point. The girls recoiled slightly.

"Woah! That's…" Yang trailed off. "That's a bit… much, don't you think?" she questioned, looking at her teammates for backup. Needless to say, Pyrrha and Blake seemed to be on her side with this one. Protecting the entire future of humanity seemed like a big task for someone like them.

"Not really," Qrow cut-in. "What do you think being a huntsman was all about? You were well on your way to doing it already, think of this as a _promotion_ of sorts. What do you think I've been doing all these years? Chasing skirts?" he replied in a snarky tone. Yang scoffed.

"That's _debatable_ ," she responded under her breath with a small smirk. Qrow scowled.

"I _heard_ that," he growled playfully.

"Still," Pyrrha cut-in. "We're still in training. What do you expect us to do?" she asked the professor. He leaned back in his chair, looking at the girls curiously.

"I planned to place you girls in a special team with Gohan," he explained. The teen librarian's expression changed.

"Wait...what?" he spoke up, slightly shocked at this revelation. The girls had a similar response.

"Wait a second! I'm not leaving team RWBY!" Yang protested. Blake mirrored her partner's protests. Pyrrha also had similar thoughts but didn't voice them. All she was showing was a pained expression on her face. She didn't want to leave Jaune, but if she had to for the greater good… no! She couldn't! She belonged to team JNPR!

"I wouldn't remove you from your current team placements. Rest assured that's the last thing I wish to do," Ozpin retorted. Instantly the girls were calmer.

"Oh," the fiery blonde responded. "As long as Blake and I remain on team RWBY, I don't see a problem. Leaving Ruby and Weiss would be unfair," Yang admitted. The rest of the girls could only nod in fairness. They all seemed to have the same opinion on the matter.

"Well, I haven't decided on whether or not it would be a good idea. I'm sure it would cause conflict within your teams when Qrow or myself give you assignments specifically entailing your team," Ozpin informed the girls. They seemed to get the point on the whole idea.

"Okay," Qrow said, cutting into the conversation. "How about we just keep this unofficial for now, we don't need the hassle," the drunkard waved off. Gohan had to agree. While the idea of recreating a team that was reminiscent to the Z Fighters appealing, it would cause unnecessary conflict within the girls' teams.

"Perhaps that is for the best," Ozpin admitted. "Now, there is one more thing that we must address. I was debating on whether or not I should tell you four, but if we are going to trust each other, I must be honest regarding what we are truly facing here," the headmaster continued. Qrow's features immediately darkened.

"...You sure you want to do this Oz?" he asked hesitantly. Ozpin eyed him carefully.

"Positive," the headmaster replied confidently.

"What's this about?" the Saiyan asked. Ozpin cleared his throat.

"As you know, there was a break in at the CCT a few nights ago. A masked vigilante that for all we know, wished to do harm to our way of life. As you know, the CCT is one of the most important systems in the world, and it allows us to connect and talk with the other Kingdoms. What this person's goal was, I still do not know," Ozpin started as he gazed at the four teenagers. Qrow remained to the side of Gohan, watching everyone's reaction carefully.

"That woman that I encountered?" Gohan questioned. Ozpin nodded.

"Whoever this person is, she is working for someone extraordinarily powerful. This person is known as Salem. She seeks to destroy the Kingdoms and reformat the world in her own image, and she uses the Grimm to do so," Ozpin explained, his features darkening as he did so.

" _What!?_ " The three girls exclaimed. Gohan's eyes merely narrowed. _Salem_ … the word he had heard in his subconscious before he had woken up under Beacon Academy. Who was this person, and why did the mere mention of her name send a cold sensation up his spine? The mere name was enough to speak of the evil this person possessed.

"She _controls_ Grimm?" Yang exclaimed incredulously. Blake and Pyrrha were equally having a hard time accepting this fact. How was it possible to even control that which has no mind, logic or reason? They were savage beasts that relied purely on the instinct to destroy and cause as much chaos as possible!

"That's… _impossible!_ " Blake added in a similar tone. The red haired amazon's hands clenched as she rested them on her knees. Everything she had grown up learning about… Was it all a lie? Was this really the true nature of Grimm? Was there truly someone behind the scenes directing them and controlling the Grimm?

"From my knowledge, she controls a vast amount of Grimm. Not all Grimm. How she does this is far beyond my understanding. But she is incredibly dangerous and resourceful. She also has allies…" the headmaster elaborated as he got up from his desk and picked up his cane.

"What is this all about? Why tell us this?" Pyrrha asked, her tone desperate. Ozpin leaned on the side of his desk and looked at Qrow, whose eyes remained locked on him. The man trusted him without any doubts. If he was bringing children into this inner circle he better have a damn good reason for doing so.

"Because you all have the ability to help us combat her. _We_ have been fighting against her for years," the senior professor explained, gesturing to Qrow. Yang and the others turned towards the older looking man. He had mixed emotions in his eyes. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his red eyes remained unblinking.

"Everyone that has gone up against Salem has never come back alive," the drunkard added. "She's cunning. Intelligent. Powerful, and extremely manipulative. We also know that she has her spies inside Beacon Academy right now," Qrow continued. Gohan's eyes widened.

"Of _course,_ " his voice seethed. His mind drifted back to the fight with the woman. She hadn't even uttered a word, and the moment he turned his back, she had vanished into mid air. He hadn't even gotten a reading on her energy so he had no idea who she was. But he could tell she was doing her utmost best to keep her identity under wraps.

"Are you _serious!?_ " Yang exclaimed angrily, standing out of her seat in defiance. Her eyes had gone red with rage. Blake stood up and tugged on Yang's shirt. The blonde turned to her partner, amber eyes meeting dark crimson.

"Calm down Yang," Blake whispered quietly. Yang breathed deeply and sat back down, her anger still coursing through her body, but to a much more controlled degree. Blake returned to her seat beside her.

"Spies…?" Pyrrha queried. "Why is this the first time we're hearing about this?" she asked. Qrow scoffed.

"If we went and told everyone there would be mass panic. Not to mention the spies would act out and someone would get hurt. The best we can do is act like we don't know they're here. That way, we can stay alert and keep an eye out for anything that seems out of the ordinary," Qrow lectured. Yang silently clenched her fists.

"And what if someone ends up with a knife in their back during the night!? What if someone dies!?" Yang snapped angrily.

"Then we would take action and lock down the school, Ms. Xiao Long. However, there has been no such action yet, and I would like to think that those spies aren't stupid enough as to blatantly end the life of a student that happens to be right under our noses," Ozpin explained sharply. Yang fell back into her chair, the argument the professor made actually making some sense to her.

"Right…" Yang trailed off, annoyance still lacing her tone. There were a few moments of silence before Gohan spoke up.

"So you want _us_ , and by us, you mean me, Pyrrha, Yang, and Blake… to be… what exactly? A special team to counter these spies? To fight Salem? What do you want us to do?" Gohan asked. Ozpin let out a sigh. Qrow stepped forward.

"What we're asking, is if you will side with us," Qrow started. "We've lost a lot of good people out there to Salem. This fight needs to end someday, and with you guys on board… that day might come sooner than we might believe," Qrow explained with a small chuckle.

"So what," Blake laughed bitterly. "We become guardians of Remnant or something?" she asked sarcastically. Yang had to stifle a chuckle at that while Pyrrha couldn't help but crack a small smile at it. However, it seemed that Ozpin and Qrow didn't seem to find it humorous at all.

In fact.

"That is precisely what I'm asking of you, Ms. Belladonna."

The smirks on the girl's faces were wiped off completely, replaced with ones of disbelief. Gohan chuckled nervously as he saw the girls expressions change. Each one was different and conflicting.

" _Oh boy… can't say I saw that one coming,_ " he thought to himself.

* * *

Ozpin had opted to dismiss the girls to let them think about the situation they now found themselves in. Needless to say, they seemed to have a lot to think about.

"I'm getting a distinct feeling that we just bit off more than we can chew," the black haired faunus spoke up to her two female friends. They were making their way back to their dorms when Blake had decided to break the uncomfortable silence. They were all so lost in thought about what the professor had told them.

"I am getting a similar feeling as well," the amazon warrior confessed. The conversation had unnerved her slightly. She had no idea that the responsibility of learning this new power opened up a branch of unforeseen and forbidden doors. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that it seemed that they were only just starting to learn what the true threat of Remnant was.

"So what did we learn from that?" Blake stopped. Yang remained quiet while Pyrrha stopped to converse with the black haired faunus. It seemed the two were very interested in what Ozpin had said. Now that they had more time to think things over, it would seem that new information was starting to come together.

"Ozpin seems to want us to keep this power a secret," Pyrrha started. Blake nodded.

"Because of its destructive capability. Of course, that would be enough of a reason to keep quiet about it. What's more is that he wants us to keep it from our teammates," the bowed faunus retorted. Pyrrha brought a hand to her chin. Her thoughts were still a little messy and unorganized after the little conversation they had.

"I'm not sure I am comfortable keeping secrets from Jaune and the others," Pyrrha stated honestly. Blake sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Keeping my faunus identity a secret was personal for me. This is different, though. I feel like this could potentially rupture the trust that our teammates have with us if they found out," Blake responded. Pyrrha sighed in frustration. None of this was making any sense. Ozpin was clearly smarter than them. He would know this kind of thing would cause conflict.

"But why would he ask us to keep it a secret if it means that our teams might fall apart because of it?" she asked innocently. Yang growled as she entered the conversation.

"Because he would rather two teams fall apart then the knowledge of this power falling into our enemies' hands! God, wake up you two," Yang snapped. The amazon warrior and the black cat faunus recoiled slightly at the fiery blonde's temper. Yang didn't look happy in the slightest. In fact, she looked borderline furious.

"Yang… are you okay?" Blake asked hesitantly.

"Peachy," Yang snapped back violently. Blake frowned.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" Blake asked with a scowl.

"Oh, I don't know," Yang growled sarcastically. "Maybe it's the fact that the Grimm aren't the real threat all the role models in my life made them out to be? Maybe it's the fact that I've been lied to the majority of my life! I was taught at Signal that Grimm was mankind's greatest threat!" Yang started as she looked at Pyrrha. No doubt the redhead was feeling the same thing.

"It was the same thing at Sanctum Academy," Pyrrha trailed off nervously. Blake wasn't able to quite understand where Yang was coming from. She grew up in a peaceful organization gone violent. She knew the kind of horrors this world faced and the Grimm were only one issue out of many.

"Well the Grimm certainly are dangerous, but did you two truly think that it stops there?" Blake asked her companions. Pyrrha looked nervous while Yang seemed to get even more riled up from her words. It seemed she might actually blow her top! Blake wouldn't be surprised if she suddenly saw steam pour out of her ears.

"That's not the point!" the blonde snapped, her eyes changing to a crimson red. Her golden hair started to glimmer so much that Blake and Pyrrha actually took a step back from the girl. "The Grimm… I grew up with stories about how they would hunt mankind to extinction…" Yang turned away, seemingly calming down a bit. She took a deep breath.

"I thought… I wanted to believe…" Yang tried to find her words. "I wanted to believe that Torchwick and the White Fang was where it peaked. I didn't think there was this… hidden group that has been plotting chaos since before we were even born!" she exclaimed, turning back to her two friends.

"While I am surprised, it's not like I never expected there to be groups out there like that," Blake admitted. "I heard things while I was in the White Fang. I didn't have the sheltered life that you two had. I grew up surrounded by protests and silent warfare. It only really ignited when…" Blake sighed

" _When my father stepped down as leader,_ " she finished in her head.

Pyrrha rubbed her arms nervously. She didn't know how to add to this conversation. She couldn't deny that she was sheltered. She was gifted with amazing talents and lived a life almost akin to royalty. She fought when she needed to, smiled and nodded her head when her parents told her to. She was a puppet on their strings.

They passed away shortly after her third victory at Sanctum's young huntsman tournaments. Her older brother Achilles had looked after her and funded her after that. Life had significantly changed for her, but in the ways that she had wanted. When she had gotten the invitation to attend Beacon Academy by Ozpin himself, she was thrilled!

Finally, a place where she could go where she could be… herself.

But even in a place like this, everywhere she looked, she had no one that looked at her like a person. Until she met _him_ …

Jaune Arc.

"Can we really say no?" Pyrrha asked suddenly. She had even surprised herself as the words simply slipped out of her mouth. Both Blake and Yang turned to her. Yang had a dejected look on her face while Blake's remained impassive. She could never tell what the jet-black haired faunus was thinking. Yang's emotions were an open book, however.

"Of course we can't," Yang responded sourly. "We're the only ones learning how to harness this powerful energy. It only makes sense that we get ourselves wrapped up in some kind of secret society dedicated to protecting the world," she sighed, kicking the ground slightly. It was lucky that no one was around to hear this conversation.

The sun had since set behind the mountains in the distance, casting a shadow over the school. The night was closing in quicker than expected, and a cold, chilling wind was starting to kiss the girls' skin. But they weren't concerned about that.

"I still don't get why you're upset about this… We're training to become huntresses, right? Protecting the world is what we're training to do anyway," Blake critiqued. Yang growled.

"It's the fact that they kept this from us. From everyone! Why is this not common knowledge? If people knew that the Grimm aren't what we should be worrying about, it would-"

"Cause mass panic," Pyrrha cut the girl off. Yang turned to her for an explanation, as did Blake, but it seemed like the faunus already knew. She looked at the two, a thoughtful expression gracing her pale features. "Think about it for a moment… someone out there is capable of _controlling_ the Grimm. If people figured that out, there's no telling how they'd react," she elaborated. Blake merely nodded.

"Pyrrha's right. People believe that the Grimm are mindless and savage beasts. If the truth got out, people would panic. The Kingdom's would be subjected to constant Grimm attacks because of all the negativity," Blake added. Yang growled.

"They kept this from us… does that not bother you?" the fiery blonde looked between her two friends as they both shared knowing looks. It _did_ bother them. Just not to the extent that it bothered her. The moment she had heard the truth, she didn't know what else they were hiding. Her trust in the headmaster had dropped significantly.

"It does…" Pyrrha started. "... but, I can understand why they would hide this. It's not exactly information that the public would handle very well, and I hate to be the one that says this but I can also understand why he would deliberately not inform trainee huntresses and huntsman like us. The idea itself is absurd," she explained.

"What? How?" Yang narrowed her eyes. Blake sighed.

"Look at us. We are learning how to harness a power that can obliterate _mountains_. If we can keep our mouths shut about this kind of power, then of course they're going to trust us with this secret. Ozpin needs the power that Gohan is training us to use," Blake explained. Yang opened her mouth to ask something else, but Blake cut her off again.

"And before you ask 'why us?' I think it's subjective. Why us; because we are learning how to control this power. Like he said, the Grimm are weak to it, making us the perfect counter… to whoever this person is that controls the Grimm," Blake finished.

"What about her spies?" Pyrrha cut-in. A frozen sensation crept up their spines as all three girls looked around to make sure that they were alone. The mere thought that there were spies inside the academy was freaky enough as it was. Now that they were aware of that fact, the paranoia would certainly be present wherever they went in Beacon now.

"Should we try and find out who they are?" Blake suggested.

"Where the hell would we even start?" Yang grumbled, clearly still ruffled over the whole situation. But the more they talked about it, the more she was starting to see that this world wasn't so black and white after all. She was foolishly naive to think that it merely stopped at Torchwick.

"I haven't seen anyone acting strangely around Beacon. Most of the people around here seem friendly," Pyrrha informed, her tone obviously referring to Cardin Winchester and other infamous bullies that stalked the grounds of Beacon. They didn't particularly scream dangerous spy. Most of them looked as dumb as bricks.

"Just keep our eyes open and look for anything suspicious?" Yang suggested. Blake shook her head.

"They will notice that we are more observant than normal. I guess the only thing we can do is stay on guard. If we are inconspicuous enough, we might be able to observe some of the students. My guess is these spies might be transfer students, we should start by keeping an eye on the Mistral and Atlas students, considering that Vale has ties to Vacuo from the Great War," Blake informed.

"That's a good idea. Mistral and Atlas could be where they come from, but we shouldn't out Vacuo just yet," Pyrrha regarded. The two looked at Yang, the girl seemingly had calmed down. The blonde sighed and growled a little.

"Alright, fine. I'm on board with this, but I'm still not happy about this," she grumbled. Blake nodded.

"I assume we are to keep this from our teammates?" Pyrrha asked, a little uncertain. The jet-black haired faunus merely groaned lightly.

"If Ozpin entrusted this information to us, I am only to assume he wants it to stay between us. So, yes. I would advise that we keep this between us," Blake elaborated. Yang merely sighed in annoyance.

"Great…" she grumbled. "More secrets… Ruby is totally going to murder me if she finds out all the stuff I've been leaving her out of."

* * *

It was early into the next day when Gohan found himself back at his desk in the library. It was still rather early but it seemed that no one had decided to bother him as of yet. His display of power from yesterday was earning him quite the reputation around the school, but right now, no one had approached him yet. He would often catch students looking, but that was all they did.

While Gohan did notice the stares, he wasn't exactly concerned with them. He was busy working on a project that he had decided to undertake yesterday after the Breach. Especially after the talk he'd had with Ozpin, Qrow, and the girls. To have it confirmed that there were spies inside the school bothered him a lot, and he constantly had to keep his guard up.

So here he was, sitting at his desk with a giant sheet of paper out in front of him. He had a pencil in hand was drawing up some blueprints for what he wanted to build. He had multiple books of architecture positioned all around him on his desk. Chewing on the end of his pencil while he pondered his thoughts, he knew what he wanted to build was close to impossible, but it could be accomplished.

He had been drawing this up for the past couple of hours. He had even gotten up early to do some research on it. However, this was proving to be a more taxing task than he had originally thought. He would push through regardless, he always would.

As the morning progressed however, the murmurs and whispering got louder. He would occasionally look up to find that people had formed their own circles and were talking in a very hushed and secretive manner. He caught a couple of female groups gazing his way longingly but would snap out of it and look away in embarrassment.

He sighed dejectedly.

" _Maybe I should have been more careful when using my powers… I had no idea people would talk like this,_ " he thought as he looked around the library. He brushed away those thoughts as he returned to drawing up his blueprint. He needed it to be perfect, and right now, he was actually thankful to his mother for drilling the need to study into his brain.

Without it, he might not be here today. Planning and strategic thinking were what kept him alive. He wasn't a fighting genius like his father or Vegeta was, but he certainly had the intelligence to overcome the obstacles that blocked his path in the past. The Androids… having been the biggest blockade so far. They were right up there with Freeza.

"Excuse me," a sultry voice broke Gohan out of his thoughts. He looked up to see one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on. Her slick raven hair pushed to the side to cover the front of her left eye. She had enticing molten gold eyes and a pale, but fair skin complexion. Her smile was inviting, and so was her body language.

"I was hoping that I could take out a few… books," the words were awkward coming out of her mouth. Gohan immediately could tell she was here to talk to him. The books meant absolutely nothing to her, and judging from their titles, he could tell that she was using it as an excuse to get closer to him.

"Ninjas of Love?" Gohan drawled as he picked up the book. The woman scowled slightly.

"Do you have a problem with my reading material?" she responded in a chilling voice. Gohan actually visibly swallowed.

" _Well, she's much more confident and forward than Blake was…_ " he thought as a drop of nervous sweat rolled down his forehead. The woman smirked as she saw the effect she was having on the boy. Males will always be just that… males.

"Ah…" he trailed off. "No, sorry. Long day," Gohan apologized. The woman merely smiled.

"You are forgiven," she spoke in a calm and controlled tone. He took the books that she had laid out in front of him and scanned them through the system. Her name came up as Cinder Fall of Haven Academy in Mistral. Her age was twenty-one and she was a third-year student. Teammates with Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black.

She seemed like an ordinary student.

"May I ask what it is you're working on?" she gazed over the counter and looked at the blueprints he had been drawing up. Gohan quickly folded the piece of paper that he had been drawing on and slipped it into his pocket. He scowled at the woman a bit. He couldn't fault her for being curious, but something about her just seemed so _familiar_ to him.

"Sorry, private project," he responded. A small pout graced her lips.

"A shame. Maybe I could have helped you?" she suggested. Gohan shook his head.

"Personal," he quickly said. His tone and voice left no room for argument as the woman picked up her books. She eyed him carefully. There was no one behind her waiting to get books so she could take her time. She wasn't in a rush, besides… she wanted to learn as much about the boy as she could. He was a mystery to her.

"What's your name?" she asked politely. The Saiyan couldn't help but feel like there was some kind of underlying meaning to this conversation, but he would answer her question anyway, for the sake of being nice and friendly.

"Gohan," he responded politely. She smiled and extended her hand.

"Cinder," their hands met. "It's nice to meet you, Gohan. I hope we will see more of each other soon," she remarked as she took her books and walked off. Gohan watched her leave, swaying her hips as she exited the library in an almost satisfied fashion. The moment she did, the blonde beauty known as Yang Xiao Long came walking through.

Both their eyes met in an instant and Yang's smile brightened.

"Hey Gohan!" she practically sang. She skipped over to him and leaned on the front of his desk. He returned her friendly smile.

"Hey Yang, I hope yesterday wasn't too much information to take in. Trust me, I was rather shocked myself…" the son of Goku admitted. Yang's smile dropped a bit before she sighed tiredly.

"Yeah… I mean," Yang trailed off as she ran a hand through her thick, golden blonde hair. "It was a lot to take in, y'know? I was pretty mad afterward, but Blake and Pyrrha managed to calm me down a bit. Ruby and Weiss were pretty quiet on the whole issue when we went back to our dorm. Maybe it was because they saw that I was in a foul mood," Yang chuckled a bit.

"I can understand that. Ozpin has a tendency to keep large secrets from many people…" the half-Saiyan replied rather sourly as he recalled the story about Mountain Glenn. Seriously, he was finding it hard to trust the man after that. That kind of information was what Gohan needed to know. The idea that there were Androids from his world in Remnant was a big cause for concern.

Then again, he might be being too cautious.

Oh well, doesn't pay to be prepared after all.

"Anyway," she trailed off, attempting to change the subject. "Do you want to go do some training? I have some energy I want to burn and Blake is too busy reading, and Pyrrha is trying to get Jaune to notice her," Yang snickered at the last part. Pyrrha had some serious confidence issues if she couldn't confess her blatantly obvious feelings for her team leader.

"Ah… sorry Yang, but I'm a bit busy. I'm actually going to be pretty busy for the next couple of days. I know I promised you guys I'd help you train with your energy, but this is really important," Gohan replied apologetically. A thought suddenly popped into his head, causing his mood to lift.

"Hey if you can teach Blake and Pyrrha how to fly over the next week or so, I'll have a surprise for you guys by the end of the week! You think you can do that?" he asked. Yang beamed.

"Sure! What kind of surprise is it?" she grinned, raising her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. Gohan blushed immensely.

"Not whatever you're thinking, for sure…" Gohan waved off. Yang pouted.

"Aw…" she trailed off. She immediately brightened up. "Oh well, I'm sure it will be great. I can teach those two slackers how to fly. Leave it to me! But after we're done, we better get into some of the serious stuff, ya hear?" Yang remarked as she winked at him. Gohan chuckled and nodded.

"Sure! No problem. I already have stuff planned out for you guys. Just teach them how to fly and we should be good to go," he responded. The fiery blonde smirked and pushed herself off of his desk and headed for the doorway.

"I'll see you later then!" she dashed off. Gohan watched, for the second time today, another beautiful woman leave his presence. He exhaled in a rather tired tone before taking out the paper he had slipped into his pocket. He gave the design, measurements and overall probability of this project a brief overlook. If he could find the right place to build it, he might be able to get in done in a few short days.

With that in mind, he packed up his stuff and exited the library without looking back.

He was sure his librarian assistant Velvet could handle things while he was away.

* * *

It was early the next morning when Yang, Blake, and Pyrrha met up in Glynda's combat classroom for some early morning training. This was Pyrrha's first time here so she was rather excited, that was until she realized that Gohan wasn't going to be attending this morning's sessions.

"Gohan told me the other day he would be busy for the next couple of days. Had a chat with him in the library yesterday, he said he had some kind of surprise he wanted to show us when he's done, so, he put me in charge of helping the two of you learn how to fly," Yang paused as she turned to her partner.

"Blake, since this is your second session and Pyrrha, your first we are going to be working on controlling and bringing out your Ki," Yang instructed. Blake frowned. Last time she checked Yang was still an amateur as well.

"Not to put down your skills or insult you Yang, but you've only been at this a little over a week. What makes you think you can train us?" Blake critiqued. Yang rolled her eyes while Pyrrha stayed silent and observed the conversation between the two.

She wondered how this was all supposed to work...

"Look I may not know nearly enough as Gohan does, but I at least know where to start when it comes to learning this stuff. Trust me, it ain't easy, and it's pretty time-consuming. It's not like unlocking aura where you say a few words. It's _much_ more complex than that," Yang said. Pyrrha frowned as well.

"Okay then..." Pyrrha cut in. "Why don't we get started? What do we do first?" she asked. Blake already knew where to start, she just needed to practice more. She had only gotten one lesson before her team was shipped off to Mountain Glenn so she wasn't able to practice at all. It seemed like both she and Pyrrha were on the same page.

"Alright, so the first thing you need to do is find your energy. Gohan explained it quite vaguely to me but I eventually got it. Blake, you already know how to bring it out right? You just need to practice, do you want to explain how it feels to Pyrrha because all I got is that it's like a warm bubble in your chest," Yang admitted. Blake sighed and turned to Pyrrha.

"Unlike aura, life energy is something that is constantly being emitted from within us. It's the energy our bodies create, and to take control of it, you have to reach directly inside yourself. It requires meditation," Blake explained. Pyrrha looked up at Yang incredulously.

"Not to be rude… but how on earth were _you_ of all people able to learn this? You don't strike me as someone that is capable of meditation," Pyrrha chuckled a little bit. Blake had to hide her laughs as Yang went red with embarrassment.

"I can meditate!" she denied hastily. She crossed her arms and sulked. "It was just hard to begin with…"

"Moving right along," the black haired faunus laughed slightly. "It's like Yang said. It's a warm sensation right in the center of your being. After a while, you should start to feel it, but you have to be incredibly focused in order to grasp it…" Blake explained, once again looking over towards Yang.

"Still don't know how you managed that, though," she mocked lightly. Yang's hair started to glimmer as anger poured off her being.

"I can still hear you," she grounded out.

"Seems straightforward enough," Pyrrha admitted, sitting down. Blake mirrored her actions. She had yet to practice in controlling it. Yang resigned to wait while her partner and the amazon warrior learned how to control their energy. As she did, she decided she'd kill time by floating.

She jumped into the air and crossed her legs like she had seen Gohan do. It was actually rather satisfying doing so. She was literally sitting on air! The number of people she could trick into thinking that she was a magician with this kind of power. The thought brought childish snickers to grace her lips. Pyrrha turned and looked at Yang with wide eyes.

"Y-You're flying!" she exclaimed. Yang shrugged, a boastful smirk on on her face.

"Yeah, I'm pretty awesome aren't I?" she grinned. Blake scowled.

"Stop showing off and let us concentrate," she scolded. Yang leaned back like she was sitting on a floating, invisible deck chair in the sun.

"Don't mind me, I'll just sit here and wait," she chuckled.

Naturally, this went on for some time. Blake sat only a meter away from Pyrrha playing with the energy in her hands while the amazon warrior sat completely still with her eyes closed in a meditative position. Yang was just relaxing, floating around the two like some kind of watchful fairy godmother.

This went on for almost an hour before Pyrrha gasped slightly. Blake and Yang had both turned to find the red head staring almost in a hypnotic fashion at her hands. Inside of her hands was a small red ball of light. It wasn't aura, and they all knew this. Pyrrha had actually managed to bring her ki out!

"It's red," Yang commented. Hers was yellow, and so was Gohan's, but Blake's was a tinge of purple. It seemed that ki and aura had some kind of relationship since they shared the same colors. Yang's aura was yellow, so her energy was yellow. Blake's aura was a dark purple, and so was her ki. Pyrrha's was red, so it seemed that her energy was red as well.

"Well done, how does it feel?" Blake asked. The light in the young champion's eyes was reflective of the amazement and shock. In a few moments, the ball of red light was gone and Pyrrha fell from her sitting position to her back, breathing in and out very deeply.

"Amazing!" she exclaimed. She had never felt such a sensation before!

"Finally! Now we can move on to teaching you two how to fly!" Yang exclaimed.

* * *

Meanwhile, miles to the north of Vale, the beautiful forest known as the Forever Fall forest was where the young Saiyan hybrid had found himself. The place was astounding almost. It reminded him of the season of autumn back on his homeworld. The calming and quiet surroundings were something that he welcomed without complaint.

He remembered the days where he played outside when he was just a small boy in the East District where he and his parents lived. The atmosphere was peaceful, the trees swayed in an intoxicated motion and the land itself felt refreshing.

It was the perfect place to meditate and clear his mind.

Gohan remained in a lotus position, floating in mid-air thinking about the previous day. The revelations had been disturbing, to say the least. The possibility that Gero's creations were roaming around on Remnant were too great to ignore, and knowing that those killer machines weren't the only threat he needed to think about, he knew he needed somewhere safe to fall back.

Spies inside Beacon… and a person who seemed to be able to control the Grimm. From what he had read on the Grimm, they were mindless creatures of darkness that just sought destruction and mayhem. He could accept the fact that they were mindless, but there was something else that bothered him.

There was a group plotting to destroy Vale and possibly the other civilizations on this planet... what else was new? Gohan had seen the worst humanity could create. It was almost impossible to top what Dr. Gero had created. His hatred for his father drove that man to the brink and beyond.

If there were people out there that had the same intelligence as he did, and had the drive to do so, they could destroy the entire world. And apparently, there was. Ozpin had mentioned a group of people that wanted to change this world to suit their own needs and desires. A group of evil. Gohan knew there would be battles.

He knew there would be hardships, and most importantly he knew that his brute strength and power would be a factor, but it certainly wouldn't be the winning factor. Brute strength and power alone couldn't counter what these people seemed to be planning. They were organized, prepared. They were tacticians.

That's probably what Qrow was trying to tell him. While he may be physically more powerful than whoever this Salem person was, she was clearly informed and intelligent, and planned her moves very carefully.

He needed to be on guard.

He needed a safe-haven. If things went south, he knew falling back to Beacon probably wouldn't be a good idea. He needed a place like back on Earth. Beacon was just a combat school. Its defenses were acceptable, but defenses could always fall. He needed a place where he, Yang, Blake, Pyrrha and their friends could fall back to if things turned sour.

That's when he decided. Since the Breach… the secret and inevitable plot to destroy Vale and quite possibly the rest of the world was so clouded he could barely begin to understand why or how it would happen.

He decided he would rebuild it.

The Lookout.

It had always been a place of refuge for him and his friends. When the Androids came, the Z Fighters had used the Lookout frequently as a safe-haven. They had never found the Lookout thankfully. That gave Gohan the perfect chance to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber uninterrupted. He had used it because whenever he tried to train properly, he risked the Androids finding him. He needed a place where they would be unable to find him.

The Lookout served as that place. It was there, he had learned of a way to surpass what was capable of the legendary Super Saiyan. He had discovered the secrets about the Super Saiyan transformation, unlike Vegeta or his father.

He just had to figure out how to create it. How to create a such a massive structure that was held up by a single column of dense material. It had to be stubborn enough to hold up the large semi-dome structure that would be sitting at the top. He was lucky that around this area, he could use the materials the land had to offer to build such a structure.

Only thing is was he needed to figure out where to start.

Ki had other uses as well, and some were quite handy. Not all Gohan's skills equated to just fighting techniques, or a new attack. He had other useful abilities that he had picked up from his friends over the years.

He had learned a lot of things through training with Piccolo. While most of it was fighting related, there were a few intricate energy techniques that Gohan was familiar with, but never really used. Looks like he would be putting those skills to the test here.

It wasn't hard to find a good, isolated location to start construction on this almost impossible task. He knew where he had to start, and he knew this would take him awhile so he had to make sure he was focused on the task at hand.

He took out the blueprints he had been working on the other day. He had been noting down multiple ways to build this massive structure. He could easily use his Ki to manipulate its form and change it to his liking. He just had to focus, like Piccolo had taught him. These were the techniques that required the utmost concentration.

First, he needed to begin construction on the column itself, and he knew this would be a challenging task. He needed to make sure he had the right diameter, radius, and depth to withstand the weight that was going to be placed on it. That meant he had to use the right materials, but that was easily done by just gathering resources by the surrounding area.

Forever Fall was rich with resources. It had mountains of hidden materials that he could cut out with his energy. All he needed to do was make sure he stayed focused throughout this entire ordeal. He had to build the column high enough so that enemies wouldn't be able to see it in the sky, and he also had to account for the Grimm as well.

He had noted that the Grimm had airborne types, so he had to make sure it was high enough so that those types of Grimm wouldn't bother with it. It also had to be high enough so that you couldn't see it from the ground. That might be an issue, but he was sure he could do it.

Using his hands, he cut up pieces of rock with his Ki and changed its matter, something Piccolo had taught him how to do. It was more trial and error than anything else. He needed the right materials or the new Lookout would fall right out of the sky. The balance and weight were more important than anything else.

He was no architect, but he was sure he could pull something like this off. If Kami and Mr. Popo could do it, then he certainly could, it would just take him time.

The process was long, and he knew it was going to take a while. He didn't know how long he would be up here. Maybe a few days. He did tell Yang it would take about four days, but that was just him stretching it as the longest possible time it would take.

A black crow landed on his shoulder and observed. Gohan immediately knew it was Qrow. Strange, what an interesting ability. Semblances were quite amazing when he really thought about it. He wondered if they could do other things than what people just thought they were capable of.

He started close to the ground, slowly bringing together the materials and sticking them together in a perfect circumference. He estimated about four or five days of constant building, plus food and rest breaks, he could have the column done by then. After that was the Lookout itself. He estimated about five days for that, maybe three and a half if he was lucky and efficient with the way he was building.

When Gohan got close to the ground, the crow shapeshifted into a human being. The boy remained in a meditative position but acknowledged the man's existence. The man gave a short whistle as he watched the foundations of the Lookout starting to form in front of him.

"Whatcha doing all the way over here?" Qrow asked as he kept his eyes on the materials that Gohan seemed to extract from the environment around him, come together and seemingly stick together nicely like Lego blocks.

"I'm building a safe-haven. A place we can fall back to when we need to," Gohan explained. Qrow watched with mild amazement as the process slowly started to pick up some speed, blocks of different materials changing and coming together almost perfectly.

"Isn't a Kingdom enough? What's this going to do?" Qrow asked. Gohan's eyebrows furrowed as he stopped the process. He dropped to the ground and walked over to what he already had. A dense circular column that was about ten meters high. He gave it a light kick. It held despite the force. The half-Saiyan grinned and stepped back.

"Back where I come from we had a place called Kami's Lookout. It was a place that sat stationary in the middle of the sky. No threats could find us there. And people couldn't see it. It was the perfect hiding place, almost in plain sight," Gohan explained. Qrow nodded as he walked over and gave the column a good hit, testing its solidity.

"That thing is pretty solid. How'd you do that? I didn't think you could build things like this with your energy," He asked with an eyebrow raised. He had spent many years researching this power. He was always eager to learn more about it because it seemed like it was more potent and powerful than aura was.

"My old mentor Piccolo could do many things with his energy. This was just one of those many things. I picked up a lot of things learning from him. Most of them are fighting related, but not all of them," Gohan elaborated as he once again assumed a meditative position and began building once again.

"How high do you plan to make this thing?" the older huntsman asked. Gohan smirked a little as the older man watched.

"I don't know. High enough so that people can't see it from the ground. Maybe about twenty or thirty miles? How high can air-born Grimm fly?" the young demi-Saiyan asked. Qrow merely looked at the boy like he was crazy, but he resigned to answering the boy's question. He had seen some crazy things in his life, if Gohan managed to pull this off, it would certainly be in his top five.

"About two or three? The Grimm tend to stick close to the land, even if they are airborne. But that's about as high as I've seen them go. If you're planning on building this… whatever it is. Then I don't think you need to worry about the Grimm going up there," Qrow informed. Gohan smiled.

"Good. I've already told the girls I'll be busy for the next week or so, so I've left them to their own devices," Gohan stated. The drunkard merely nodded before he turned to younger teen once again, pulling his eyes away from the ever-growing column.

"You still didn't answer my question. Why build this?" Qrow asked. Gohan merely sighed.

"Because if there really are Androids on Remnant then a simple wall isn't going to keep them out. They are much more brutal, stronger, and more destructive than the Grimm could ever dream to be," Gohan stated with a frown. Qrow merely sighed.

"No Kingdom is safe… are they?" He asked, dreading the answer to that question. The teen's features merely darkened.

"No. Not a single life on this planet is safe as long as there is a single Android alive."

* * *

The atmosphere around the remnants of team JNPR and team RWBY was tense as the present members sat in the cafeteria. With the BY and the P missing from their teams, they were starting to become very suspicious about what was going on behind the scenes. It didn't take a genius to realize that they were being left out of something when members of their team were always missing.

Ruby and Weiss were starting to become agitated, the latter more than the former. It was becoming a quick habit for them to assume that Yang and Blake _wouldn't_ be in their beds when they woke up in the morning, and quite often they would only see the two girls once a day, twice if they were lucky.

Right now, there was an obvious question plaguing their minds, and finally, it seemed that one blonde haired novice decided to speak up.

"Does anyone else think it's a little weird that Qrow would want to speak to Yang, Blake, and Pyrrha specifically?" Jaune asked. He couldn't be the only one thinking about this. He had seen it on the others' faces as well. Jaune was not a fool. Well, he was, but that wasn't to say he wasn't smart.

Say what you want about Jaune, he was observant if nothing else. What he lacked in fighting skills and quick reflexes he made up for in strategy and technical thinking. He was infamous for not paying any attention in class, but he was intelligent. He saw weaknesses in Grimm before anyone else did.

Pyrrha had pointed out sometime after initiation and during his training with her that he had a knack for coming up with battle plans on the fly. Exploiting enemy weak points and playing to his and his team's strengths. Pyrrha had encouraged Jaune to study and train more with team JNPR. His skills improved a lot, and so did his plans.

"I do think it is a little bit strange. But I see no cause for concern," Ren remarked. Teams RWBY and JNPR were sitting in the cafeteria. Their table seemed empty and almost void of any excitement apart from Nora's usual antics. Yang would be the one to initiate conversation and bring up topics. The fiery girl always had something to talk about.

"Yeah… normally Yang would break the ice and talk with you guys. Bring up a topic to talk about, but I haven't seen her since Weiss and I went to bed last night. Blake as well. I wonder what they're up to?" Ruby wondered out loud. She wasn't partially worried. Weiss, however, was a different story.

"I for once in my life, have to agree with Jaune," Weiss spoke up, earning a small groan from the blonde-haired leader. "It was bad enough that Yang had been acting weird lately, but now Blake and Pyrrha have seemed to have joined that club as well," Weiss continued. It seemed that a certain orange haired female had finished inhaling her pancakes to add to the conversation.

"I remember seeing Yang hang around with Gohan a lot. I think Blake and Pyrrha are as well. She mentioned that she ran into him the other day while she was shopping in Vale," Nora added. The group went silent as they thought about teenage librarian. Their resident Librarian turned out to be something of an enigma. No one could understand what he did, or how he did it.

Even the rumors going around Beacon couldn't seem to make up their minds on the mystery Librarian.

The power he displayed when he cleared the Vale plaza of Grimm and almost the entire city with that strange explosion of light. It was almost too extraordinary to be true. People all over Beacon had been talking about him. Everyone had seen it, and team CFVY had been spreading the news like wildfire. Coco was a gossip girl, and Velvet was the assistant Librarian.

Unfortunately said teen wasn't anywhere to be found. The Librarian's desk had been empty for about three days now. He'd seemingly been a normal kid up until the stunt he'd performed. He defied all logic from Weiss's point of view. No huntsman was capable of performing such a… _powerful_ feat.

"Well, are we going to talk about it or not? I mean, how can't we? Gohan pulled off something that quite frankly should be impossible, right?" Weiss asked, eyeing the people present. She could not seem to get it off her mind and she had put it off long enough.

Everyone looked at her uncomfortably. No one knew exactly what to say. Not even Nora. This was a subject based on someone they barely knew!

"Well, what is there to talk about that hasn't already been said? Maybe it was just his Semblance?" Ren suggested dryly. Weiss scoffed, rolling her eyes in the process.

"Hardly, he was flying. No one can fly," Weiss remarked sourly. Ruby coughed nervously.

"Well, uh, my Uncle Qrow can shape-shift into something that can fly. I mean… there's that," Ruby added rather shyly. Weiss looked at her partner in a scolding manner. Ruby shrunk back in her seat in an adorable fashion. Weiss was scary when she was annoyed. Not even Ruby's puppy-dog-eyes seemed to work on the infamous Ice Queen.

"Okay-shutting-up-now," Ruby squeaked, the volume of her voice shrinking with each word.

"Well, I guess we could ask Yang. She is the one who's spent the most time with him after all. We're the only ones that know that he and Yang have a good friendship. No one else has seen Gohan with Yang around before," Jaune suggested. It seemed like a good idea.

"We'll ask next time we see her, which will likely be tonight. There are no classes until after the Vytal Festival Tournament, so whatever she has been doing she will be doing until she comes back to our dorm tonight. Since Blake is probably with her, I can only assume that she is doing whatever Yang is doing." Weiss said. The rest of the group sighed.

"I mean, we wanted to ask her and Blake what Qrow wanted to talk to them about, but she came back with a really foul mood so I kinda didn't want to ask…" Ruby admitted. Weiss merely placed an elbow on the table and rested her head against her hand.

"We were going to ask them in the morning, but they were already gone when we woke up. It seems like a pattern now. I have no idea what they're doing, but I'm seriously getting sick and tired of not knowing!" Weiss moaned in annoyance. Team JNPR looked at each other. It was the same story with Pyrrha lately. She hadn't been in her bed when they got up.

The group was silent for a few moments before Ruby let out a huge sigh and collapsed dramatically on the table, her arms sprawled out and her head resting in between them.

"I can't help but feel we're being left out of something really cool," Ruby cried dramatically.

* * *

"Okay… this is really cool." Blake admitted with a genuine smile. Since it was later in the day, Yang had decided to move their training session just behind Beacon and in front of the Emerald Forest. It was better that way. It was easier to keep their special training a secret.

There seemed to be no Grimm around today to interrupt their lesson which was a good thing. Security and Grimm extermination parties had been sent out over the past couple of days to clear the area for the upcoming Vytal Festival. Couldn't have stray Grimm wandering about in a highly populated area.

Pyrrha and Blake were floating a couple of meters in the air. Not quite past the treetops, but high enough to make both of them feel like small children living in some kind of dream world. The two girls struggled to balance themselves while moving through the air, but the two seemed to be having fun.

Both the girls were doing twirls and flips in the air like a performer on strings or invisible wires. Pyrrha was laughing and feeling extremely giddy above just being able to do this, while Blake just seemingly like to spin around.

"You know, I could probably read my books like this," Blake giggled quietly to herself as she crossed her legs in mid-air. She steadied herself and let her energy cushion her as she laid back in the air. While it did take concentration to hold, after enough training, she could probably do this without even thinking about it.

"I agree, this is most exhilarating! I never knew you could feel this free doing this kind of thing. I know we are huntsman, and we were launched off a cliff for initiation, but this is a whole different feeling," Pyrrha exclaimed as she almost swam around in the area they were training in.

Yang was just floating with her legs crossed, not even breaking a sweat, her mind wandering as she laughed at the two. They were like children in a candy store with more money than they knew what to do with! She found it humorous as she watched both Blake and Pyrrha as they concentrated on keeping their energy stable.

"I told you guys this was awesome! To tell you the truth, I still find it awesome to fly. It's something you dream about as a kid, but I never thought it was even possible, but here we are, doing just that. It took me a week to get flying and controlling my energy down in the air. As you can see, I'm pretty good at it," Yang flaunted as she spun around in circles in a completely controlled fashion.

"We can see that Yang. You don't need to show off," the black haired faunus scolded. "So, it took you a week, right?" Blake asked as she dropped back to the ground. She was quite tired from using so much Ki. Pyrrha dropped shortly after while Yang just seemed to drop down because she wanted to. The two still needed to increase their energy reserves seeing as they were still amateurs.

"Yep! Gohan told me flying is a good way to control your energy, to begin with. After you learn how to fly efficiently, then you can start learning how to do this," Yang explained as she lifted her hand and fired a ki blast at a nearby tree.

The blast connected, and the tree shuddered from the impact but stood strong and tall. Where the blast had hit, the bark of the tree was black, covered in soot. Blake hissed as Yang recoiled, seeming realized that what she had just done was probably not the best idea for a demonstration.

"Careful you idiot! Do you want to set the forest on fire!?" The cat faunus snapped. Yang shrugged sheepishly.

"Oops," She chuckled. Blake rolled her eyes while Pyrrha was even more excited than before.

"That's like that light that Gohan used to destroy all the Grimm!" Pyrrha exclaimed. The fiery blonde nodded vigorously. Even she was excited thinking about the idea of performing such a powerful feat.

"Yep, but his are _way_ more powerful, and he fired off thousands of them. I can fire off about ten to fifteen before I get pretty tired," Yang stated honestly. Blake and Pyrrha looked at each other and grinned.

"I wonder how long it took him to get to where he's at now?" the cat-eared faunus wondered out loud. "He seems pretty powerful, and even after that attack that he did, he looked relatively unfazed. In fact, he didn't even look remotely tired," she continued.

Pyrrha and Yang could only imagine. They recalled what Ozpin had told them yesterday after the Breach. He had put together this _unofficial_ team because they had the potential to save the world. At the time, Blake and Pyrrha didn't think that much of it. Yang, on the other hand, knew what Gohan was capable of, and what she _could_ be capable of.

"Ozpin told us that we could protect the world from evil… that sounds so cheesy, but I think he might be onto something here. No one else aside from Gohan, and maybe Qrow and Professor Ozpin have these powers," Pyrrha voiced. A frown formed on the blondes face.

"Well, we don't know that. Who knows, there might be some people out there that know how to use these powers," She retorted. Blake countered this with her own input.

"Yeah, but if there were don't you think people would know more about it? I was a part of the White Fang, remember? They had connections all over the world, and I was partnered with one of their commanders. I've never even heard or seen anything like what Gohan was capable of," Blake informed. This information only served to peak Pyrrha's curiosity.

"That only serves the question of who Gohan really is. He's the only one I've known to have these sorts of powers, and have knowledge of how to use them to an immeasurable margin," Pyrrha noted. She was a four-time Mistral champion, and she had fought all kinds of upcoming hunters. She would know if there were others that knew how to use these abilities.

"Well, Gohan did tell us that these powers have draw backs to them. Over-exertion could cause death. We are using our life energy to attack, it only makes sense that we would be risking death if we misused it," the sunny blonde explained. The other two seemed to take this into account. It was always helpful to know that they were learning to use a power that could kill them if they weren't careful.

"But that surely wouldn't stop people like Roman Torchwick from trying to learn. Imagine the kind of chaos he could cause if he had Gohan's strength and power," the cat faunus stated. The three took a moment to think about that. It was evident that the entirety of Vale might not even exist if that were the case. They couldn't understand the mind and views of the infamous Roman Torchwick.

"If you think about it that way, maybe this power _is_ a very closely guarded secret for _that_ reason. Maybe it's because the people who do know are the people who realize the danger it can cause. That way they can keep the power a secret," Pyrrha voiced her thoughts.

"And you'd be right about that," A voice came out of the shadows. The man who entered the area was the familiar, scruffy, unshaven man known only by the name as Qrow Branwen.

"Uncle Qrow? What are you doing here?" Yang asked as the man made his way into the clearing. Blake and Pyrrha were surprised he could find them so easily. How in the world could he have possibly known where to look for them? It wasn't like the man was surprised that they were out there. Did he have the same ability as Gohan? Could he sense people?

"Well, I've been around the neighborhood a few times, checking in with a few people. Watching our good friend Gohan to see what he's up to, and you'd be surprised what he's doing. I certainly was," Qrow smirked as he watched the girls exchange strange glances. Blake's interest was peaked. Curse her curiosity.

"What exactly is he doing?" She asked. Qrow waved her off.

"He'll tell you when he's done. Trust me, it will be a surprise alright," the drunkard dismissed casually. "Anyway, I popped by to see how you three were going. Nice to see that you girls are already learning to fly. That is a wonder ain't it?" Qrow smiled. The amazon warrior smiled brightly.

"It is a very thrilling experience indeed," She remarked. However, Yang was the first to raise her displeasure with the current situation.

"I feel like we should be teaching the rest of our team. I feel bad for leaving Ruby and Weiss out of this. And I bet Pyrrha feels the same about her team," Yang said sourly. She looked over towards Pyrrha and the smile that was adorned on the girl's face previously had now vanished entirely.

"Yes… I do feel rather selfish for not including them. I feel as if this training would benefit all," Pyrrha looked down at the ground with a rather downcast expression. Qrow sighed as he ran a hand through his slick black hair.

"Look," Qrow started as he leaned against a nearby tree. "Not everyone that trains here at Beacon comes out on the other side a good guy like us. I know it seems unfair to you three but trust me when I say that I completely agree with you. If every Huntsman used life energy, the Grimm wouldn't even exist anymore, but you know the real threat we face here. If everyone had that kind of power, what do you think would happen?" Qrow asked the girls. The three looked at each other. The answer was obvious.

"Constant power struggles. The gap between Human's and faunus would be even larger than it already is. I'm willing to bet the world would probably be in ruin," Blake answered, looking a little disappointed that they hadn't picked up on this before. Qrow clicked his tongue.

"Bingo. Now I'm not saying that anyone in your team is looking to turn to the figurative dark side at the drop of a hat, but just give it some time. I'm all for students learning, but the more I think about it, the more I want _no_ one to know you have it," the drunkard stated sourly. The sharp look in his eyes told the girls that even he was conflicted on the idea.

He exhaled loudly.

"It's bad enough to think that there might be people out there that can erase Kingdoms and entire continents with the flick of a finger. Who knows, maybe we are the only ones, but the idea is…" Qrow trailed off as he looked for the girls to answer. Luckily Blake stepped up to finish his sentence.

"The fewer people that know how to use this power the better right?" she questioned. Qrow nodded slowly with a smirk on his face.

"In a way, yes. Can't have idiots running around with the power to flatten cities, right? Then humanity would never get anything done," Qrow smirked. "Well, it's been nice talking to you girls. I've got places to be. You take care now." Qrow popped away, a small black crow flying away at Mach speeds. Yang merely sighed.

"He always loves to do that…" she snarked lightly. Pyrrha and Blake just watched the direction that he had flown off with wide eyes.

"Shapeshifting huh? He must be pretty lucky to have a semblance like that," she spoke with a small bitter tone. Pyrrha chuckled lightly.

"I guess it would be pretty useful huh?"

"Yeah… _real_ useful," Yang rolled her eyes.

She knew all he used it for was to peak on girls.

Shameless old man!

* * *

Walking back to their dorms, they knew something was off.

The moment that Blake and Yang walked into their assigned dorm to head to bed for the night, they knew that this night was going to end badly. The atmosphere in the room was tense and thick even that you could cut it with a knife. The first thing they noticed was that both their teammates were in the room, the second was that they were responsible for the atmosphere.

Yang bit her lip slightly as she eyed both Ruby and Weiss's faces as she and Blake walked into the room. Weiss wasn't happy, and Ruby was wearing her normal, worried look on her face.

"Talk about an ice-cold intervention…" Yang muttered as she and Blake strode into the RWBY dorm. Ruby and Weiss were waiting there patiently and almost quietly. Ruby was sitting on her bed while Weiss had been pacing back and forth. It was about nine thirty at night. She was surprised that they weren't in their pajamas yet.

"We need to talk," Weiss voiced, crossing her arms in a sullen manner. Blake grimaced at this. She was well aware that Yang wasn't okay with hiding this stuff from them, and she wasn't either, but Qrow had asked if they could keep it to themselves, so they would. Blake could only hope that something like this didn't tear the team apart.

"Yang…" Ruby started, her voice mixed with uncertainty. "You've been acting super weird lately and now Blake's in on it too. What did uncle Qrow want to talk to you guys about?" Ruby asked. Yang sighed as she rubbed her neck nervously. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this one. Ruby wasn't dumb, granted she still acted like a child most of the time.

"He uh…" Yang turned to look at her jet-black haired partner, who was also staring at her. Amber eyes met lilac, both seemed to be trying to come up with a plausible explanation that didn't seem to far fetched. Yang gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe that she had to lie to Ruby of all people. She knew that if it were Ruby doing this, she would be furious to find out that her sister would lie to her.

But this was the other way round. Ruby trusted her unconditionally. She was sure she could convince her that Zwei had secret wings tucked into his back and that he was a superhero if she tried hard enough. Ruby, in some ways, looked up to her, and this probably hurt more than anything to lie to her face like this.

"Just some… big sister stuff, ya know?" Yang's fake grin was strained, and Weiss could see that.

"You're lying," the ice queen snapped viciously. Yang flinched slightly.

"I'm not," she denied weakly.

Weiss pushed further. "You have been acting completely different than usual. Keeping secrets, avoiding questions and now you're downright lying to us! What's your deal, Yang?" Weiss chided. Yang was becoming increasingly irritated at Weiss's attempt to coax more information out of them.

"Aw come on Weiss," Ruby cut in with an innocent looking grin. "Yang would never lie to us! She's my big sister! What reason could she possibly have to lie to us?" she asked as she hopped off her bed.

"Besides, uncle Qrow is always trying to check up on me when he can, so I'm not surprised he's being all secretive about it…" Ruby grinned mischievously. "I'm _so_ going to swap his bottle out with some of the toilet water… hehe," Ruby chuckled evilly. Yang swallowed hard. Weiss still looked skeptical before she dismissed it and turned to Blake.

"So? What's your deal?" she asked. Blake sighed.

"My involvement with the White Fang. He wanted to know if there was any information I could give him," Blake lied. Yang was sort of impressed. Not only was that believable, but it was also realistic. Blake's previous position in the White Fang could have provided the older huntsman with the knowledge needed to do something about the group.

Too bad it was a complete, bald-faced lie.

"Oh. Okay then. I guess that makes sense," Ruby admitted as she hopped back onto her bunk bed and started swinging her legs back and forth off the side of it. The ice queen of team RWBY just stared at Yang, waiting for the blonde to crack, but the blonde just grinned, her old demeanor returning to its usual joking attitude. It was clear that Weiss wasn't convinced in the slightest in their excuses.

"You keep staring at me like that, and I'm going to get the wrong idea," Yang grinned, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Weiss's face shifted to a demeanor of disgust while Ruby just laughed at her partner's reaction. Blake was still silent as she was still stuck in her own thoughts about why they needed to keep this a secret from Ruby and Weiss.

This had the potential to tear their team apart, and not only that, the trust between Ruby and Yang might suffer serious damage if this got out. The thought provoked an uncomfortable, sick feeling in Blake's stomach. This wasn't supposed to be how teams worked. Her faunus heritage was easy to lie about. She did that to fit in.

This was different.

What they were doing to Ruby and Weiss was completely _unfair_.

"In your dreams!" Weiss shrieked. "I bet you would like that wouldn't you!" she growled in disgust. Yang pulled Weiss into a hug, one in which she did not appreciate at all. In fact, she hated this kind of contact, but she learned to accept it when being around Ruby's overly touchy older sister.

"You two promise you're not leaving us out of anything, right? We're a team. Teams do everything together," Ruby asked innocently. Blake regretted answering that question.

"Sure, no secrets," She lied. Ruby threw her hands up in the air in celebration.

"Yay! We should probably practice more now that we have that out of the way. We need to get ready for the Vytal Festival. Team RWBY is going to win this thing! We will not accept defeat!" Ruby exclaimed with her arms in the air like an excited child.

The sick feeling spread to Yang as well from Blake's vision. Both of them sat down on their respective beds and listened to Ruby drone on about combat strategies and team attack names. Lying had done a number on Yang. Blake could see it. The blonde girl seemingly seemed a bit grayer than usual. A single hand clenched and Blake knew that Yang was fighting her decision to lie.

If there was one thing that Blake knew, it was that Ruby and Weiss would find out very soon. How they would was unknown, but the cat faunus had enough experience to know that lying like this was bound to come back around and bite them in the backside.

Looking up, Weiss was still glaring at the two. She didn't buy any of those stories and she knew that both herself and Yang knew that. Her sullen attitude was very evident as she sat on her bed, legs crossed and arms crossed. Her piercing cerulean blue eyes casting judgment upon the bumblebee of the team.

If there was one thing the two were feeling right now.

It was regret.

* * *

It had been almost two weeks since the Breach in Vale.

Gohan had finished the construction of the Lookout miles above the Forever Fall forest. The column that held up the massive structure was sturdy enough to hold the weight of it and was dense enough to even resist an empowered punch from the demi-Saiyan. Hopefully, there weren't any people out there strong enough to break the column!

He also hoped that no Grimm would be stupid enough to fly this high.

Gohan landed on the new Lookout and looked around. It was mostly flat, and he had remodeled the entire place from memory. He had built the chambers and the small temple-like area that Mr. Popo and Kami lived in back on Earth. He made sure to have a few bedrooms, a dining area and other recreational areas for training.

He had no beds, though. He would have to fly some up here, along with food that was well preserved. He didn't know how Mr. Popo kept the place so spotless, clean and well stocked. Come to think of it, the little black genie was very resourceful and helpful when it came to most things around the Lookout.

Unfortunately, Gohan had no idea how to recreate the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. That required something else and he didn't even know where to start with that. It was unfortunate that he had no way of getting in contact with the Namekian race. He wished he had asked his father to teach him Instant Transmission before he died. A missed opportunity, but he would have to do without.

Gohan had managed to plant a few trees up on the new Lookout to make sure that it felt the same as it did back on Earth. He wanted to stick to a design that he was familiar with. He had been here on Remnant for over a month, well thirteen years and a month if you counted the time he had been asleep.

"I'm not even going to ask how this is possible, let alone legal," a voice made itself known from behind Gohan. It was a familiar voice, and the demi-Saiyan wondered just how he had managed to get up here so quickly. Qrow Branwen morphed from his bird from back into his human form and looked around with an impressed glint in his eyes. Gohan tilted his head at that action.

"Being able to shapeshift like that must be very useful. I can only imagine the kind of things you could do with that ability," Gohan noted. Qrow laughed, quite loudly as well as his mind drifted back towards the days of team STQR. Perverted escapades aside, it was a useful ability and very handy when it came to sticky situations.

"Yeah, it's pretty neat. Anyway… I am going to ask. How the hell did you manage to build this thing? I saw a couple of Grimm clawing at the bottom of it, but they barely left any marks on the foundation. From the ground, it just looks like a black dot in the sky," the drunkard commented. Gohan laughed a little at the praise.

He had to admit, this feat was probably one of the hardest things he had ever accomplished. He honestly had expected to fail outright at this when he first started. Recreating the Lookout took more out of him than he actually realized, but he had managed to pull it off. His control over his energy had improved by lengths since he had started.

It actually served as a perfect way to kick-start his training again. Building this structure had unfolded some of the secrets that Gohan had always wondered about Piccolo's skillset. The green Namekian was always meditating and practicing ki control. It only made sense that when he was trained by the green warrior that he had learned some of the tricks and techniques that the Namekian had used.

"I picked up a few things from my mentor. This took an ungodly amount of concentration to achieve. I honestly didn't think I could do it. The hardest part was finding the right materials. What do you think? I tried to remodel it off the one from back home," Gohan explained. Qrow looked around and whistled.

"Well, unless you know how to fly, nobody is getting up here. To be quite honest, I think it's the perfect fall back should we get our asses handed to us at Beacon. You picked a rather convenient spot. The Forever Fall was a nice choice. Not too far from Vale," Qrow admitted. Gohan chuckled and waved him off.

"The Forever Fall was the best place I could find to harvest the right materials from. The mountains surrounding the place had all the metals and stone that I needed to build this. It's quite sturdy. I made sure of it. I also placed a bit of my energy into the structure so it should resist natural disasters or any attacks on it," Gohan explained as he jumped up and down on the edge of the Lookout. The massive structure didn't show any imbalance.

"Lucky my mother pushed all that math homework into me when I was a kid. Accurate weight distribution and physics played a big part in building this. I'm still surprised I managed to get this done in just under two weeks," he admitted with a sheepish smile.

"Why am I not surprised... is there anything you can't do?" Qrow remarked sarcastically. The demi-Saiyan didn't blame him for the sarcastic comment. At this point, for the older hunter, he was learning new things about him every single day!

"I can sense everything if I put my mind to it, just like on the Lookout back home. The guardian of Earth, Kami would look over the Earth and watch carefully. We called it Kami's Lookout. He could sense all the injustices in the world and he would let us know if there were any serious threats. It's how we found out about the Androids," Gohan remarked darkly. Qrow decided it would be best to change the subject.

"So, this is Gohan's Lookout, then is it?" He chuckled. Gohan peaked up at that and laughed a bit.

"Well yeah, I guess if you think about it that way. I never really thought of a name for it. I'd just rather call it the Lookout like I did back home, but I guess if you really want to put a name to it," the teen played along. Just before Qrow could say anything, a new guest arrived.

"A very interesting development indeed," A male voice broke into the conversation. Qrow and Gohan turned to see Ozpin approaching them. The son of Goku sighed dejectedly. Seriously, how was he unable to sense this man before he had already made his presence known?

"Why am I not surprised I didn't sense him get up here. I still don't understand why I can't sense him when he's near me... only when I can see him," Gohan replied. Qrow snorted comically.

"I stopped thinking about it years ago, it's just one of Oz's quirks," Qrow rolled his eyes. Ozpin joined the conversation. His eyes seemed to wonder the Lookout in both amazement and approval. It seemed the headmaster had no problem with this place existing right above the Forever Fall.

"I was wondering what that black dot forming in the sky was, so I decided to come and investigate. Low and behold I find a construction of your doing Gohan. I didn't even sense this was here, I just happened to look up and see it," Ozpin remarked. The half-Saiyan frowned.

"It's not that obvious, is it?" He asked. Ozpin chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh goodness no. I've been the Headmaster of Beacon for many years now. I am a very observant man Gohan. However, the large column connecting this structure to the ground is bound to cause attention. I can inform the Vale council that this is an 'outpost' of sorts. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with an explanation for this," Ozpin spoke with a little bit of pride. Qrow nudged the boy and whispered into his ear.

"He's that kind of guy that will notice the one spec on the glass," Qrow laughed a little. Gohan chuckled at that while Ozpin seemed to let them have their little joke. Ozpin was used to taking jabs from the alcoholic hunter every now and then. The younger drunkard seemed to have that kind of sense of humor.

"May I ask what this is for?" Ozpin asked. Gohan nodded.

"This place is the Lookout. We had one back home. It acted as a sort of refuge if things went wrong or if we needed a safe place to rest. It also provided a way to watch over the Earth. We could sense anything that went wrong anywhere on the planet," Gohan explained. Ozpin looked around and nodded.

"A very interesting concept. I'm not going to pretend that Beacon is the safest place on Remnant, but should we ever need to evacuate, I believe this place might serve as a good safe-haven for most students. The only problem is how they would get up here..." Ozpin trailed off. Gohan hummed to himself quietly.

"Yang, Blake, and Pyrrha can train up here instead of at Beacon. They are gonna be going through some pretty _destructive_ training routines in order to grow in power. I don't think you will want the girls throwing around explosive energy blasts anywhere near your school," Gohan chuckled lightly. Ozpin cracked a small smile and nodded.

"I don't know about the other Kingdoms, but I'm sure that Atlas has the technology to upgrade their ships to fly to this height. Not even jet planes fly this high, so I wouldn't worry about air-traffic hitting this place. No flight paths cross over the Forever Fall anyway," Qrow informed. Ozpin sighed.

"The airships that Atlas have developed rely more on defensive and offensive capability. They are not built for high atmospheric travel as of yet, but I can talk to James and see if he has any passenger transporters that might be capable of flying this high," Ozpin added. Qrow sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"While you talk to Jimmy, I'm going to resume my mission. I need to find Raven, see if I can squeeze any information out of her before the Vytal Festival starts. Message me if you need anything," Qrow waved lazily as he shifted into his bird form and dived off the Lookout.

Both the teen librarian and the headmaster of Beacon academy walked to the edge of the Lookout and looked over the land of Vale. The city was but a small circle far in the distance from where they were currently standing. Gohan inhaled deeply. He remembered when Piccolo would stand like this, overlooking the land. Kami would do the same thing before they died to the Androids.

"Tell me Ozpin," the demi-Saiyan started. The professor regarded him slightly.

"What is this threat? What's got you so worried?" he asked. The elderly man simply stared over the land, letting the small breeze shift his hair. He looked rather thoughtful and at peace. But at the same time, Gohan could tell the man was never at ease. He was always thinking ahead towards the future.

Always moving forward.

"Salem… I've been locked in a cold war with her for years. I can never understand her moves or her motives. She is powerful and cunning, and I am running out of options," Ozpin explained. Gohan sighed as he gazed out upon the world of Remnant. Nothing seemed to change. In this world or the next, there was always evil constantly clashing against the forces of good.

It just seemed like a cruel judgment of fate that he always found himself at the center of it all.

"That woman that I found at the CCT. I assume she is connected to this Salem character?" He asked. Ozpin nodded. The son of Goku could only frown as his thoughts drifted to the disguised character. She had slipped away from him so _easily_ , and it bothered him to no end.

"I have my suspicions. I have yet to figure out what they're after, but I have a theory, and it involves Amber who is sealed tightly below Beacon. If the worst comes, I might consider moving her up here. Moving her now would cause too many problems, and we might be caught exposed by those who seek to destroy us," Ozpin elaborated.

Gohan had to admit, this was the first time he was facing an enemy that he had yet to even see. All of the threats in the past had been obvious and loud. They would always stand right in front of him. He always knew who to fight and where to look. This was a different case altogether. He had to be a lot more methodical about how he went about things.

It seemed like this Salem character had eyes everywhere.

"These threats are a lot more subtle than the ones I'm used to dealing with. The Androids were loud and obnoxious. Arrogant, constantly looking for more fun and people to slaughter. It wasn't hard to find them," Gohan added. The wise professor once again nodded wisely.

"The threats you have faced have made you into a powerful ally Gohan. There is no doubt that your presence here at Beacon has changed things drastically. Salem's plans will be constantly changing to fit you into the picture, that I am certain of. You must be careful and watch your back," Ozpin spoke sagely.

"Are you admitting that Beacon is not safe?" Gohan asked. Ozpin frowned, his eyes glassy and reflective. The man was old, that much was certain. He had seen a lot in his life, and Gohan couldn't tell just how old this man was. He was a mystery, an enigma.

"Your power display and sheer skills alone have made you a target. I would not be surprised if the enemy were to make a bold move and attempt to take your life. I would be cautious roaming the halls of Beacon from now on. As much as I would like to say my school is safe for all those welcome, it is evident we have already been infiltrated, and I have no doubt they will be looking to get rid of any obstacles that might hinder their plans," Ozpin continued. The demi-Saiyan merely sighed.

His power seemed to attract trouble like moths to a brightly burning flame.

"Well it's good that I have made some friends to watch my back, then isn't it?" Gohan remarked with a slight smile. Ozpin returned the friendly smile.

"Yes, indeed it is Gohan. That was just one of the things I wanted for you when I offered you a position as Librarian. A boy in need of friends who will aid him when he needs them, and vice versa," the older headmaster informed the boy.

"Thanks, I know I may have told you before, but I mean it. Thank you," Gohan voiced softly. Ozpin nodded calmly. "But that doesn't mean that I forgive you for keeping those secrets from me. I am still a little bit angry about that," he remarked rather bitterly. The silver-haired professor merely smiled.

"What's done is done I suppose," The man sighed as he looked out towards the horizon. "You don't need to thank me for anything Gohan. It is simply one of the many things in life that I find peace in doing," the silver-haired man finished.

The son of Goku merely sighed from exhaustion. He had spent so long building this place he needed to replenish his energy. As he looked out over Vale, he couldn't help but notice the dark, foreboding feeling that a storm was on its way. How long would this fragile peace last? How long until everything fell apart?

How long would it be until the people started dying around him?

* * *

Two days had passed since Gohan had finished construction on the Lookout, and in that time, Pyrrha and Blake had learned to fly efficiently. They had managed to learn it a bit faster than Yang had, which the blonde was not so eager to admit, but nonetheless, they had done it.

Gohan had since returned to bring them to his newly constructed Lookout.

Their reaction to it was nothing short of priceless.

"Oh," Yellow.

"My," Red and Gold.

"God," Black.

The three of them were beyond shocked that something like this was even possible. They felt like ants standing on this place. It was huge! How could they not have seen something like this being made!? It was even more ridiculous to believe Gohan had constructed something like this in two short weeks.

"Welcome to the Lookout!" Gohan exclaimed with a bright smile. He just loved the look on their faces. There was just something about their expressions that brought him great amusement.

"I feel like I've stepped into a whole new world," Blake commented honestly. Yang walked around. There were slabs of tiles with dirt in them, placed even and symmetrically so that trees and bushes were growing nicely in them. This place was huge, so big in fact it was quite overwhelming that this entire place was basically their hangout.

"This… this is incredible! How on Remnant did you manage to build this place in such a short amount of time!? The craftsmanship and architecture are astoundingly superb!" Pyrrha exclaimed in awe. Gohan shrugged nonchalantly.

"Planning, math, and physics played a big part of helping me build this. Since Ozpin and Qrow want us to keep these powers a secret, then this place might be the best place to conduct our training. Beacon was getting kind of cramped. Since you three can fly now, getting here shouldn't be much problem," the demi-Saiyan elaborated. The blonde of the group still couldn't get over her excitement for this place.

"This place is so awesome! I can't wait till Ruby and Weiss see this. We get our own floating base of operations! This is incredible… I could spend all my days up here. Think of the tan I could get," Yang grinned as she looked up at the sun, grinning wildly.

"Now's probably a good time to teach you three something new. By now since you're getting efficient at controlling your energy, I think it would be a good idea to teach you how to sense it now. Up here, you can pretty much sense the people all the way in Vacuo or Atlas if you tried hard enough," Gohan explained as he walked over to the edge. The three girls followed him.

"So how would we do that?" Pyrrha asked.

"It's quite simple really. An old acquaintance of mine, Vegeta. He learned it by himself just by fighting with us. Stubborn guy, but I guess you learn to pick up on these things eventually. Basically, all you need to do is spread your energy thin and focus, extending it wide and outwards. That way it covers the land and the area you're in. It's easier here on the Lookout because we're so high up," Gohan continued.

"It would be harder down below then? For example, in Vale?" Yang asked. Gohan nodded.

"There would be a lot of people around you, and quite a lot of clutter. Buildings and mountains can get in the way and make things difficult. I always found sensing things from a vantage point to be easier. All you have to do is project your energy outwards, calm yourself, and focus in. It's pretty easy," Gohan finished. All three girls nodded and tried it out.

They all seemed to get it easy.

"Hey, this is awesome! I can sense Ruby from here!" Yang exclaimed with a bright smile. "I don't know how to explain it, but I know it's her. It's like a familiar warmth that I recognize," Yang tried to describe. Pyrrha gasped.

"Yes… I can sense Jaune from here as well! His energy seems larger than Nora and Ren's. I know it's them, but at the same time, I don't really know how to explain that I do know them. It's like a signature. A rhythmic, heartbeat-like signature that just seems to designate differently for everyone," Pyrrha explained. Blake smiled warmly.

"I can sense my parents… all the way in Menagerie. This is… _incredible_ ," Blake murmured. Gohan watched the girls with silent happiness. He watched a range of emotions cross each girl's face. He could tell they were searching out people of familiarity to them. Siblings, parents, friends. It was easy to learn that way.

The three girls looked at him.

"Gohan… this is incredible. How did you learn all this?" Blake asked. Gohan sighed as he sat down, his legs dangled over the edge. Should he tell them the truth? He had come this far, and they believed everything he had done and showed them so far. Would they believe him?

"I had a very good teacher. Probably one of the best. His name was Piccolo and for as long as I've known him, he's been there for me, just like my dad. Always fighting, always believing that if we fought we could make the world a better place," Gohan started. The girls joined him as he sat down.

"After my Uncle killed my father, he took me away and trained me for another threat that was coming. A dangerous threat. He saw potential in my small, weak four-year-old body. So, he dumped me in the wild and told me if I could survive on my own for six months, he'd train me," Gohan continued. The girls looked horrified.

"He sounds awful! Who would do that to a four-year-old? I'm surprised you're not dead! The Grimm would have certainly ripped you to shreds!" Pyrrha exclaimed. Gohan laughed but denied that claim. He knew better. Thinking back on it now, he concluded that Piccolo was always watching over him. Giving him small nudges and pushes in the right direction.

"I only think he told me that to scare me. Honestly, now that I think about it, I probably would be dead if he had meant it. He helped me out a lot, though. I remember a lot of convenient food sources or caves to get shelter in. He was helping me the entire time, but I didn't know that. He was just trying to help me become stronger," He explained as the girls looked at him incredulously. Yang chuckled a little bit at that.

"Well it obviously worked, Look at you! I don't think anyone could really beat you in a fight. Not after the stunt you pulled when the Grimm breached Vale a couple of weeks ago," Yang chuckled. Pyrrha and Blake had to agree with that one. The power he exerted that day was _frightening_.

"Yeah…" he trailed off a bit as he lost himself in old memories.

"Anyway, I survived those six months, but the remaining six months were hell. He put me through every single training exercise he could think of, and by the end of it, I was almost as strong as he was," the demi-Saiyan chuckled bitterly at the memory. "Well, maybe not as strong, but I was definitely stronger than before," He finished.

"Your mentor sounds intense," Blake noted. Gohan nodded.

"He was a bit of a slave driver but he meant well," He confirmed. Gohan's scowl deepened as he recalled the fights with Nappa and Vegeta. He decided he would skip those, as well as the trip to Namek. He wasn't comfortable talking about intergalactic Tyrants who could destroy civilizations at the flick of a wrist. Also, the same one that had killed so many of his friends.

"Fast forward a few years and him along with my other friends were slaughtered by a pair of killer Androids," it was short and blunt, his words had a stunning effect on the girls present. It was the first insight they had gotten to his past, and they weren't sure how to react to this new information.

A pair of Androids had killed all of his friends? That kind of technology didn't exist yet as far as they knew. At least, sentient Androids. All the robotics they had faced so far were either remote controlled or had preset programming to carry out a function. That, or they were pilotable.

The only Kingdom that could possibly have the capability to develop that kind of technology would be...

"Was Atlas responsible? They are the only ones capable of producing that kind of technology," Pyrrha asked. Gohan shook his head sadly.

"Well, my father had made a few enemies when he was just a boy, just a little bit younger than us actually. He made enemies with a crazy scientist called Dr. Gero. The man held a powerful grudge and eventually created Android's powerful enough to kill my father, unfortunately, my father had already passed by then," Gohan explained.

The amazon warrior sighed sadly, knowing what came next. It wasn't hard to figure out what the madman would turn to next when he found out that the person he hated most had already died from something else.

"Your uncle killed him years before the doctor had a chance to take revenge… so he took it out on you and your friends?" Pyrrha asked, fearing the answer. While she was inherently correct, Goku had been revived with the Dragon Balls and then died from a heart virus several years later.

He wasn't sure if he should tell them about the Dragon Balls. It would give them ideas, and considering that they had no way to get to Namek right now, it was false hope that they would ever get there. It was something that they didn't really need to know.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Gohan lied. "The Androids ruthlessly hunted down my friends and family, killing them off one by one until they got to me. Luckily by that time I was strong enough to destroy them once and for all," Gohan continued. The black cat faunus frowned slightly at this. Something about this didn't add up.

"Why didn't you ask for help from the other Kingdoms? Surely, they would have sent Huntsman to help with that kind of thing? Even with your powers, I'm sure the Huntsman or the Kingdoms must have been able to send some kind of help..." Blake added. Gohan shook his head, coming up with a quick innocent lie to cover himself.

"We lived far out from the Kingdoms. I come from far away, nowhere close to the Kingdoms, and where the Grimm fear to tread. At the time, I didn't really know they existed. We lived a very enclosed life where we lived," the demi-Saiyan lied. He could tell that Blake and Pyrrha were rather skeptical, but Yang accepted his answer.

"Yeah, I get that," the fiery blonde sighed. "Dad didn't tell me, or Ruby that there were other Kingdom's until we were old enough, I must have been around eight or nine when he told us," Yang added.

After a few moments of silence, there were three simultaneous notification sounds that went off. Yang, Blake, and Pyrrha pulled out their scrolls to see Ozpin had pinged them. It seemed the professor wanted to see them urgently, and he had also asked them to find Gohan and bring him along. Luckily enough, they were already altogether.

"Ozpin wants to see us. Apparently, it's urgent," Pyrrha spoke up. Gohan stood up and smiled to the three of them.

"I wonder what this could be about?" He powered up and rocketed off the Lookout. The three girls behind him did the same. They each were wondering what Ozpin needed them for. Something itched at them that it wouldn't be anything good.

* * *

The moment the four entered the office of Professor Ozpin, they noticed a very critical and serious look on the man's face as he looked over some holographic data that was present on his desk. Gohan could see the frustration on the man, and it wasn't long until he looked up and noticed them.

"I'm glad that you four came as soon as you could. I have some very disturbing news." The silver haired professor spoke he looked up from his seated position at his desk. Gohan looked around to find that a certain drunkard wasn't present, which felt unusual almost considering that he had been around a lot lately.

The half-Saiyan could only assume that he had resumed his mission that Ozpin had asked him to take before he had woken up. Whatever he was doing, it seemed that Ozpin couldn't call on him this time. Instead, the professor was calling on him and his three _trainees_. If he could even call them that, and it didn't seem right to call them that.

"What's wrong professor? You look rather… distressed," Blake noted. The headmaster sighed as he placed his hands on his desk. The four of them could see that the man had been thinking deeply, the bags under his eyes told them volumes of the amount of stress he was suddenly under. It had only been about two days since Gohan had last spoken with the man.

"A recent development has brought about a large cause for concern, Ms. Belladonna. And it is because of this development that I am grateful that I am able to call on you four for a situation like this. I wouldn't ever dream of sending a normal huntsman team to do something so dangerous," Ozpin remarked darkly. The group tensed, minus Gohan who just narrowed his eyes.

"What's happened?" he asked. Ozpin closed his eyes before brought up an image on the holographic screen in front of him. It was the image of a town or a small city of sorts. Pyrrha recognized it instantly, she had been there many times in her youth.

"Is that Newville Town?" She asked. Ozpin nodded.

"Yes, it is Ms. Nikos. It is a well-populated town just south of Mistral. Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore as of the previous night," Ozpin informed, his expression grave and ghostly. Pyrrha's breath hitched and a stunned, shocked and horrified look crossed her face. The thought of another family member dead was not what she wanted in her life.

"What happened…? Was it the Grimm?" She sounded like she was close to tears. Surprisingly Ozpin shook his head. Gohan knew it couldn't have been that simple, otherwise, the Professor wouldn't have called them here. Something had happened there, and he obviously needed them to go and investigate.

"Grimm? No, in this case, I wish it were that simple. Yesterday there were just about over fifty thousand inhabitants of Newville. This morning, zero. There were no cries for help, no transmissions, and the Kingdom of Mistral are too afraid to investigate, so they have reached out to Atlas. Ironwood has informed me of what has happened," the headmaster elaborated. Pyrrha fell to her knees.

"M-My uncle lives there…" she went pale, her hands drifting to her mouth in morbid shock. "Oh, god…" She choked. Blake and Yang didn't say anything. It was clearly obvious that this wasn't Grimm. No transmissions or anything. They had gone dark overnight. Fifty thousand people just gone.

"The Grimm aren't capable of something like this. Nor do I believe Bandits have the capability of doing what has happened there. I want you four to go and investigate this. It will be your first mission, and I already have Qrow rerouting to meet you there. Be very careful, not even I know what to expect," Ozpin warned in a deadly serious tone. Gohan nodded almost methodically as his eyes gazed over the town in the holographic projection.

"Is there anything else we need to know?" He asked. The headmaster looked tired, leaning back in his chair with a hand on his forehead, the man looked like he was about to fall asleep due to exhaustion. No doubt this had been eating away at him since he had learned about it.

"Nothing I haven't already told you. If you do not wish to go, I understand, but I cannot risk any other team going there without backup. Qrow is already heading there as we speak. I believe you four might be the best equipped to deal with a situation like this," the silver-haired professor informed. Yang looked uncomfortable.

They had barely learned how to fly! The only one who had made it anywhere past that point was Yang. She was the only one who had shown an improvement in power. Blake and Pyrrha were still beginners, and had just learned how to fly! Now they were already being sent out on a potentially life threatening mission.

What was Ozpin thinking?

"What about our other teams? I don't think we can convince them to let _this_ one slide. Weiss was already pretty picky about Blake and I being so secretive about this. If they find out, our teams will fall apart, and I don't want that!" Yang exclaimed. Ozpin remained impassive.

"If that is the case then I shall inform them myself. Tell them that any issues they have can be brought to me immediately. I am sorry if this makes things complicated, but you must understand the weight and responsibility that you three bear now," Ozpin informed. Gohan helped Pyrrha to her feet. She looked scared, terrified.

Yang growled a bit, biting her tongue to stop herself from lashing out. She didn't want to be involved in this kind of crap! She wanted to be doing other things like finding her mother, or spending time with her friends! If she had known that this power came with such a heavy responsibility, she probably wouldn't have asked to learn it in the first place.

"Yang…" Blake nudged. The blonde turned to her partner. "I know what you're thinking," the cat faunus whispered. The fiery blonde grunted.

"Blake… this is _ridiculous_ ," Yang emphasized. "I know these powers are incredibly strong and all... but _seriously!?_ " she whispered back. Blake just looked towards the floor in silent agreement. She had to admit once more, they had bitten off more than they could chew. They didn't ask for this kind of responsibility. It was just kind of… dumped on them without much of a choice.

" _I guess that's what those with the power to change things have to do… constantly sacrifice what they want over what is needed for them,_ " Blake thought silently. She looked over towards Gohan who was sharing a moment with Pyrrha. The girl looked incredibly shocked. The boy seemed to have fought battles his entire life.

He didn't seem to catch a break.

"Yang… this is for the best. If we have these powers, we should use them to help people," Blake retorted. The sunny blonde wasn't going to argue with that point at all.

"That's not the point…" Yang sighed. "Just… forget it," she brushed off sourly. Blake couldn't tell what was on Yang's mind, but she had a fairly good idea that she was just annoyed about the fact that they were all suddenly wrapped up in this entire mess.

"Professor Ozpin," Blake started. The professor regarded the ex-White Fang member with his attention. "I don't think this is a good idea. With all due respect, I feel like we aren't going to be prepared for whatever destroyed that town," Blake voiced her opinion. Ozpin merely looked at his desk, a dark shadow burning behind his old, tired eyes.

"There is… no one else," he started. The answer shocked the girls along with Gohan as well. Surely a fourth-year team or a local Mistral team could be sent to investigate. There had to be other options than them. They were first years, and they were woefully unprepared for this. The demi-Saiyan of the group might be, but the others? Not a chance.

"W-What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.

"The best Huntsman team from Haven Academy was sent there to investigate this morning. We have yet to receive contact from them, and we can only assume that whatever they found there killed them," the headmaster remarked darkly. Yang's eyes widened.

"I thought you said that-"

"I know what I said, Ms. Xiao Long. Mistral is too afraid to investigate _because_ of this incident. They contacted Atlas for support, but they are too busy dealing with… _other_ issues. General Ironwood contacted me to ask if I could investigate the issue. I have done so by calling on the students that I trust the most in this Academy," he explained. The half-Saiyan's eyes narrowed.

"Well, if it's that bad then I'll go and investigate. I can take care of myself. They don't need to come along," He said softly. The girls turned to him, Yang looking at him as if he was crazy.

"Are you nuts!? You can't go on your own! You can't…" she trailed off. Gohan watched her reaction carefully. Her eyes desperately searching for a reason to deny him going on his own. For a moment, he could have sworn that he saw general fear in her eyes, as though she didn't want him to go. "I'll go with you then!" she snapped.

They turned to Yang, the fiery blonde had a new sense of vigor coursing through her blood all of a sudden.

"If you're going, then I'm certainly not going to let you go alone! I'm going with you," Yang confirmed. Her eyes met Gohan's, and for a brief moment, lilac connected with onyx black. A sense of warmth and safety coursed through both of their bodies, a sense of protection almost. The half-Saiyan cracked a small smile while Yang broke out into a grin.

"Well, I guess I am also going," Blake commented dryly. Pyrrha still looked rather pale and ghostly.

"I will also be going," she spoke out, but her voice told the rest of the people in the room that it wasn't for the reasons voiced before. It was a personal reason. She needed to figure out and see for herself what had happened in that town. It had been a place she had visited many times in her childhood and it held sentimental value. To hear of its destruction...

It brought her great despair and anger.

"It's settled then. All I can do now is wish you four the best of luck. Stay safe, and protect each other. Even I do not know what you will find in that place," the headmaster spoke with a soft tone of warning. Gohan merely narrowed his eyes as his vision drifted past the professor and out the window into the horizon.

"Whatever it is… I can already tell it's anything but good."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So yeah. By now you are probably thinking "Sivam… what the hell man? Gohan can't build the Lookout. That's absurd! Unfollowed! BAD STORY!"**

 **Yeah, I get it. It's a dumb concept. When I did it, I thought it was cool. My reasoning behind it was, "If Cell could build a tiled, pristine white arena out of a stone/dirt mountain with nothing but his energy, why can't Gohan do the same, except to a much larger scale?"**

 **This reasoning was dumb. I can't remember if him building it was filler or an actual scene from the manga, but that was my reasoning behind HOW he could do it. Like I said, it's dumb. But considering that the Lookout for Remnant remains relevant all the way into Volume 3 and 4 and even beyond, I can't get rid of it.**

 **I TRIED. I TRIED SO HARD TO MAKE IT BELIEVABLE.**

 **Alas, it still seems stupid. I hope you can look past it.**

* * *

 **There isn't any review responses this chapter seeing as it's long enough as it is, but don't worry, the next chapter will be a bit shorter. This way I can properly answer any questions you guys have without having chapters eventually grow to 30,000 words in length, because let's be honest, 20,000 is long enough!**

 **That being said, I am sorry about the dumb plot device. Some people are telling me it's okay, but it does bother me, so don't worry. I am well aware. Anyway, I'm done ranting about it. Let's look past it and move on to the big threat looming in the shadows shall we?**

 **I'm going to steal an idea from Xman and Moose here and do something like this:**

 **BONUS QUESTION:**

 _ **What would happen if the Abridged version of Goku met Salem?**_

 _ **And, if this story had a Chibi spinoff, or a reading, or an abridged spinoff. What kind of reactions and lines do you think would be said/happen?**_

 **See you next chapter!**

 _ **Hopefully it's not a month before the next update :O**_


	6. Devastating Annihilation

**A/N:**

 **Hello, everyone! If you're reading this then you have thankfully decided to look past my stupid mistakes and carry on with the story! Thank you so much for giving me another chance. I swear shit like that won't happen without a proper reason from now on.**

 **A lot of you had more of a problem with Gohan accepting to bring Yang and the others along to investigate the town the last chapter than him actually building the Lookout. I was actually rather shocked to be quite honest. I did this intentionally because after what happens in this chapter, the characters go through massive growths.**

 **Some of you accepted that the idea of him building it was silly, but liked the concept. That's a huge relief! I like the concept too, but there is no logical, or reasonable way to carry it out without it coming out of left field or feeling forced.**

 **Trust me. The beta copy I had of him building it was actually so cringy I had to rewrite it. I had to do something to make it seem believable. If you thought it was bad… my goodness, I'm glad you didn't see how I had originally had him build it. Right, Moose?**

 **My eyes still burn from what I saw...also I'm back, yay!**

 **Anyway, enough of that. We're past that now. Here is chapter six. My favorite chapter of all. I've been itching to get to this one since I first posted this story. That being said, I might actually have to put a disclaimer, because things actually get a bit graphic… Not M rated graphic, but pretty gruesome. Enough to push the boundaries of a T rated story.**

 **Much smaller chapter this time. Only 16k.**

 **So here it is, ENJOY!**

* * *

Chapter Six: Devastating Annihilation

"You're leaving?" RWBY's leader asked with a downcast tone. It was clear that she didn't approve, the look in her eyes spoke volumes of the disappointment that she was feeling. It almost killed the older blonde to even look at her sister.

Yang and Blake were packing their stuff into small packs and satchels. The fiery blonde knew it would be difficult to explain to Ruby what Ozpin had told them. Even if she got past that, there would be no way to explain why only her, Blake, and Pyrrha were allowed to go with Gohan and investigate. The crimsonette and the white haired beauty would argue that they should all go since they were a team. However, Yang knew this was about much more than just Grimm or criminals.

Ozpin had specifically asked them to carry out this task for a reason. They held the power to use and manipulate life energy, something that could protect them allow them to fight against almost any threat. On top of that, Gohan would be coming along with them, so their security was basically guaranteed. Yang felt incredibly safe with him around. Considering what she'd seen him do, it was hard not to feel that way.

"Pyrrha, Blake, and I are being sent out on a special assignment. If you have any questions, Ozpin is the one to ask. He told us he would explain to you exactly what's going on," the blonde responded to the younger girl. As soon as she finished, a fierce growl was heard from the heiress.

"I thought we agreed that there would be no more secrets! Why can't you just tell us?" Weiss asked. Blake groaned in exasperation.

"Because we just can't, Weiss!" the cat faunus exploded, causing both Ruby and Weiss to recoil from the sudden outburst. Yang flinched less than her two teammates, but even she was not prepared for her partner to take such a tone with them. "Professor Ozpin specifically told us not to tell _anyone!_ That includes you two, whether we like it or not!" she continued in a forced, pained tone. Weiss wanted to respond, but her partner beat her to the punch.

"I thought we were supposed to be a team!" Ruby shouted, tears beginning to fall from her innocent silver eyes. At this moment, Yang became unnaturally silent, sitting on her bed with a half-packed bag next to her. The vermillion themed leader was distraught, and her strong emotions were infectious to all present. Blake felt her eyes start to water, but she reigned it in. Weiss was also attempting to hide her tears, which seemed to be tears of betrayal.

"Teams tell each other everything! There aren't supposed to be any secrets! Don't you trust us?! We're your friends! Your teammates!" the young leader continued, waterfalls running down her cheeks. She never imagined she'd have these problems being a team leader. Weiss being petty about certain issues and Blake hiding her racial identity were tough, but they were able to work through it because they didn't keep secrets. Now, though, all of that was falling apart, and Ruby wasn't prepared for it in the slightest.

The bumblebee duo was completely silent, stricken with shame and guilt. Despite how horrible it felt, they couldn't say a word to their teammates about the mission. Both Qrow and Ozpin had ordered them not to. It was possibly the hardest thing about this, being a new team and all, acting only under the orders of Qrow or Ozpin. They couldn't tell their friends what they were doing, or where they were going.

Both Blake and Yang tried to avoid eye contact, but it didn't seem to be working.

It sickened Weiss to even gaze in their general direction. The White Fang secret that Blake kept was bad enough, but now there was another one? Not only that, but this time Yang of all people was in on it too, one of the most honest people the ice princess had ever met. Well, up until this point, of course.

Silence reigned across the room as Ruby waited...no, _prayed_ for an answer from one of her teammates. It never came...

"Yang...please... _say something_ …" Ruby's voice became choked and blocked from her tears. She couldn't believe that her sister, the person she trusted most in this world next to her father or Uncle Qrow, the girl who had helped her and watched over her for the longest time, was now shutting her out. Why did it feel like she was almost staring at a stranger now?

Weiss, of course, sided with Ruby. She was clearly frustrated and angry towards their other teammates.

"Come on Ruby," she hissed, venom lacing her tone. "Let's go talk to Ozpin, because clearly our _friends_ can't be bothered to tell us the truth," Weiss took the tearful girl by the hand and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind them as they left.

"Oh...oh _God_..." Yang croaked glancing over to her bow wearing partner. The cat girl had also gone silent as she turned back to her bag, placing items in it at a more rapid pace. Blake was frustrated and sad at the same time. This _stupid_ power had caused such a division in her team. The people that accepted who she was.

Now this new problem was threatening to tear them apart.

"This isn't fair… why…" Yang considered herself a strong person, but seeing her sister look at her with such distrust and betrayal in her eyes...it was something that ripped her heart to shreds. One instance, one argument had been all it took to rip the team's trust apart. They had said there would be no secrets, but now that pact of trust had been turned into another hollow lie, boring deep into the minds of each girl.

"We've made our decision," Blake muttered as she walked over and sat next to Yang. Both girls immediately embraced each other, their emotions running high. Yang's cheeks were starting to become moist from the tears that were steadily streaming down her face. Blake was still managing to hold back the waterworks.

"There's no turning back now. We have to live with it, and hope it doesn't tear our team apart," she continued. Yang's embrace tightened.

Blake rubbed her eyes as she let go of Yang and stood up. She was tired of the tears, tired of keeping secrets from people she cared about, tired of all of it. Ozpin and Qrow be damned, she wouldn't be keeping secrets like this from the people she cared about anymore.

Between her faunus reveal and this debacle, the team had gone through enough internal conflicts as things stood. Since Ruby was so young, she felt like the little leader took too much of it to heart.

"I don't really know what to say. Ozpin and Qrow told us to keep it a secret until we were strong enough to deal with the repercussions of telling people. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but I can't keep these secrets from our teammates anymore," Blake responded. Yang sighed tiredly.

"I just hope Pyrrha is having a better time of it than we are..."

* * *

She took a deep breath before she opened the door and walked in.

As Pyrrha surveyed her room, Jaune was the only one present. Of course he would be, the person who she had the most trouble talking to about personal things. Sure, he was her good friend and she loved to help him train and better himself as a huntsman. However, her personal feelings toward the boy made it difficult to tell him things that he might not want to hear.

Nora and Ren were somewhere else around Beacon, perhaps in the library, and Jaune was on his bed reading comics. He peered over the top of the book and gave Pyrrha a friendly smile.

"Hey Pyrrha," he greeted, his charming smile bringing her warmth. She gave it her best attempt to sound upbeat and happy, but her face betrayed her real emotions. Sometimes she was glad the boy was as dense as he was. It made it easier hiding things from him, as much as she hated it.

"Hi Jaune," she responded with a weak, forced smile. He hesitated slightly, reading her features over before returning to his reading. Pyrrha fidgeted nervously. How was she supposed to tell him that she was going away on a special assignment handed down by Ozpin himself? How would he react? How on Remnant was she supposed to explain it?

Her emotions were still in turmoil after hearing the tragic news of Newville, the town she was going to investigate very shortly. Gohan was probably already waiting outside the school for them. She also wondered how Blake and Yang were breaking the news to their team. She hoped they were doing better than she was.

"Jaune… I uh… I'm going to be leaving for a while… for a special assignment," the nervous prodigy blurted out. The moment the words exited her mouth, Jaune sat up and put down the book, a look of concern on his face. It was a nice feeling to have the boy she admired look so concerned for her, but at the same time, she felt terribly guilty that she had to lie about what she was going to do, because of what Qrow and Ozpin had told her.

"That's great! I mean, isn't it? Why do you sound so sad?" Jaune asked. Pyrrha sighed as she sat down on the bed opposite of Jaune. He looked at her, concern laced in his eyes. She could tell he was very interested in her well-being. Lying wasn't exactly her strong suit, but if she thought this one out, she might not have to lie. Jaune was an understanding person, he would get it… wouldn't he?

"I-I'm a little nervous," she started. She was _definitely_ not okay. "It's just… Ozpin has assigned me to a special assignment, and I have to leave for… well, I'm not sure exactly," Pyrrha explained. Jaune didn't seem to mind, but he did look rather suspicious of what she said. She couldn't blame him. Just like Blake and Yang, she had also started acting strange since she discovered ki and what it could do. It tended to change your outlook on life a little bit.

"Well, I mean that's ah… great! Good on you! T-That's good, isn't it?" Jaune repeated. Pyrrha gave him a look that told him that she was divided about it. Jaune understood why, but he would rather let her speak the words than him trying to guess how she was feeling about it. Normally that never played out well for him with his seven sisters.

"Jaune… I told you, remember? I don't like being placed on this pedestal by people. Its… maddening when you are trying to make new connections and friends. Also, this assignment… something about it doesn't feel right," Pyrrha elaborated. The blonde Arc ran a hand through his hair as he exhaled. He was trying his best to understand.

"Well, I'll support you," Jaune started with a smile, reaching across and placing a hand on her knee in a reassuring manner. "No matter what happens you will always be Pyrrha Nikos to me, that's all that matters. You're my friend remember?" he smiled. A little piece of her died inside. How she desired for their relationship to be so much more than just _friends_.

"Right… _friend,_ " Pyrrha laughed with a weak smile. She still did not yet have the courage to confess her feelings to him. It just didn't look like he'd return them if she did. He was so infatuated with Weiss, and so many times she saw him looking at other girls and not her. It hurt her so much that the boy she could finally look to for love was looking the other way. The cruel fate she endured.

Pyrrha got up and packed in silence as Jaune went back to reading. She could tell he wasn't quite convinced. She caught him a few times looking at her out of the corner of his eye. It was like he was trying to figure something out, like he knew she hadn't told the complete truth. It was painful to mislead him like that, but she knew she couldn't tell him. Ozpin said he would inform them, so she would leave it in the professor's hands.

Just then a door slammed from outside. Pyrrha knew instantly whose door it was. It was RWBY's dorm room door. She could hear Weiss talking to Ruby, and from what she could make out, the Ice Queen was furious while the red themed leader was unmistakably sobbing. Jaune looked up, a frown crossing his face. An uncomfortable look crossed his face when Weiss's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Unbelievable! They lied directly to our faces! Shame on them, why I ought to-" her voice faded off into the distance as the voice moved away from the door. Pyrrha brought a hand to her chest and exhaled softly.

"I wonder what they were arguing about…" Jaune muttered softly before returning to his book. Pyrrha didn't respond. She just continued to pack.

She hoped Blake and Yang were okay.

* * *

There was a knock at his door, and just by the sound of the knocks, he knew exactly who it was. It was not an hour earlier that he had dismissed the four youths and already he had a team at his door who sounded like they wanted answers immediately.

"Come in," Ozpin called out. When the door opened, the headmaster of Beacon leaned back into his chair, hands rested firmly on his cane. He watched the white and red duo walk into the room, one significantly more angry than the other one. The younger girl was a sobbing mess, and the older one looked like she was about ready to burst into flames, ironic given her icy theming.

Weiss Schnee strode right up to Ozpin's desk and stood menacingly in front of it, with her arms crossed and a nasty scowl on her face. Ruby, however, opted to stick behind Weiss a bit. She looked like an abused puppy, the team leader seemingly at loss for words.

"Hello Ms. Rose, Ms. Schnee. Am I to assume that you are here because of Ms. Belladonna and Ms. Xiao Long's departure on their individual designated assignments?" Ozpin asked. Ruby remained silent, mainly because she was in no state to be talking to the professor, however Weiss was more than willing to be the voice for both of them.

"Why even bother asking? You know exactly what we are here for. You asked our teammates to lie to us about something that, apparently, we don't qualify to know," Weiss started. Ozpin waited for her to finish.

His eyes drifted towards Ruby, the fifteen-year-old prodigy who he had let into Beacon two years early. The daughter of Summer Rose showed an undeniable amount of skill and combat prowess. Not to mention her silver eyes, which she still did not know about. She was staring at the floor, a mixture of emotions on her face, none of them seemed to be good.

"They told us to come to you for answers, something I am still reeling about. Why should we have to come to you for answers that our own teammates can't tell us about?" she asked. Ozpin leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on the desk and watching both the girls carefully.

"Unfortunately, I am to blame, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin started. Ruby looked confused, while Weiss remained inhumanly still, almost frozen to a spot. Her piercing eyes demanding that he continue. He had to be careful about how he phrased this. Weiss had a tremendous amount of analytical skill for a girl her age, and she was extremely smart. However, so was he.

"Allow me to explain why I swore them to secrecy. You see less than a month ago, Ms. Xiao Long met one of our staff members. You would know him as Gohan, yes?" Ozpin asked. Weiss grumbled as Ruby looked up. She had since managed to get a grip of her emotions and wipe away her tears.

"Of course," Weiss muttered sourly. "Why am I not surprised he would have something to do with this?" Ruby looked almost puzzled. The fifteen-year-old daughter of Summer Rose had a vast intellect when it came to fighting monsters and building weapons. She had an amazing battle sense and tactical prowess. However, she still seemed a bit slow on basic logic.

Much like her mother was at her age.

"The boy who destroyed all those Grimm in Vale the other day? What's he got to do with this?" she asked. Ozpin cleared his throat.

"He possesses the skill to harness life energy and control it effectively," the professor started. "When Ms. Xiao Long met him, he offered to train her in how to control it, and she accepted. Ms. Belladonna saw this training occur and confronted Gohan about it, and she is also under his tutelage," Ozpin explained.

"Am I to assume that Pyrrha is also a part of this? I'm going off the basis that Ruby's uncle requested that our two teammates along with Pyrrha had to see you for something important. Something that Yang obviously lied to our faces about the other day," Weiss cut in. The professor could easily tell that the Ice Princess wasn't the least bit happy about this explanation.

"You are correct, but I am guessing that you want me to tell you why I requested that they keep it a secret in the first place?" he asked. Weiss nodded, while Ruby gave her acknowledgment in a meek, unconfident fashion.

"Please, _enlighten us_ , Professor Ozpin," she demanded in an icy tone. There was silence for a few moments as Ozpin thought this over. He was only mortal, regardless how long he had _technically_ lived. He was human, prone to mistakes and misjudgments. He made them more often than he would have liked, and right now, it was important to make the right call.

"What if I told you..." the professor stood up from his desk, walked around and sat on the front of it, so he was closer to the girls, giving off a sense of trust and non-professionalism. Right now he was just going to be Ozpin, the oldest hunter in Vale. Not the Headmaster and Professor Ozpin.

"What if I told you that this power is capable of destroying Remnant as we know it?" he asked. Weiss snorted.

"I would call the nearest mental institution and have you committed, Professor," Weiss remarked. Her little jab caused a small smile to break out on his face, amused by her statement. Her face reflected no such sentiment. She was deadly serious.

Of course, that made it all the more amusing.

"Humor me here," he asked. "Suppose that it can. How many people would you want knowing that information?" he continued. Weiss's face scrunched up as she turned to look at Ruby. The young crimsonette scratched her head and opened her mouth to answer.

"Uh… I guess… I wouldn't want anyone to know about it?" she answered with an unsure tone. Ozpin smiled and nodded.

"Exactly, there is the first part of the answer. If people do end up knowing about it, what then?" he asked, once again. This time it was Weiss to answer.

"Well, I would want the least amount of people to know abo- _oh my god._ " she stopped herself as the realization hit her like a rampaging goliath. Looking towards her vermillion themed partner, the girl in her sights turned and look at her, raising her shoulders in obvious confusion.

"That's my reasoning, Ms. Schnee," Ozpin concluded. She turned her gaze back to him. Anger exploded on her face.

"This whole situation could have been avoided if you simply let them tell us! I wouldn't have had a problem keeping this secret! I am still not getting your reasoning!" Weiss snapped. Ozpin merely sighed and adjusted himself.

"It's like I said. I want the least amount of people possible to know, because that means I am able to keep track of who knows, and who doesn't know. Imagine, for a moment Ms. Schnee, if that kind of power fell into the hands of someone like Roman Torchwick, or the White Fang," Ozpin asked.

"You're talking about the power that Gohan used right?" Ruby asked. Ozpin nodded. "Hehe… okay, just checking. I got a bit lost back there," Ruby admitted with a guilty grin on her face. Weiss ignored her leader's obvious aloofness.

" _So it wasn't his semblance, nor was it aura. It's this separate power that we keep referring to,_ " Weiss concluded in her thoughts as she replayed the events of the Breach in her mind. She knew that feat was too crazy for any huntsman or huntress to pull off. This revelation only served to pile more evidence onto the fact that there was more to this than he was letting on.

"So anyone is capable of learning this power?" she asked. Ozpin nodded. The Ice Princess relaxed a bit as she thought things over again in her head. It all was starting to make sense now. Gohan had been teaching Yang and that's why she had been acting weird! Then Blake started acting all secretive as well! Now the pieces were starting to come together.

"So it's because of these powers that Blake and Yang are being sent on this _dangerous_ assignment? I mean… I get that, you could have at least told us the truth. There would be fewer problems like this if we were simply informed about them beforehand," Weiss criticized. Ozpin sighed.

"Perhaps, but I have made many mistakes before. I am not perfect, and there were many outcomes that could have been worse. I feel like I chose the one that ended with the safest outcome," Ozpin stated. Weiss scowled. What was his reasoning behind this one?

"How so?" she asked. The professor shrugged.

"Well, you are here now, discussing the problems with me instead of blaming your teammates for something out of their control," he explained.

"So Yang and Blake are a part of this secret special team now?" Ruby asked in her innocent tone. The professor shook his head.

"No, I decided against that idea on better judgment. Placing them in a special team would separate them from you too much. However, I will call on them to help deal with the larger threats that go beyond simply fighting Grimm," Ozpin explained. Weiss narrowed her eyes.

"The White Fang…" she murmured quietly. Ruby's eyes widened.

"Torchwick and his lackeys?" she asked. Ozpin nodded. They didn't need to know of Salem and her group.

 _Yet._

"Precisely. There has also been an incident in a small town to the south of Mistral that I am sending them to, in order to investigate. They won't be gone for very long I hope, and if anything happens to them, they have Qrow and Gohan there to assist them."

"I see, thank you for explaining the situation, professor," Weiss asked. Ozpin looked at them curiously. They were bright young students, he definitely would give them that much. Weiss looked mostly satisfied with the explanation, while Ruby looked relieved that things seemed more clear than they were a good twenty minutes ago.

"Well, if you have any more questions, don't be afraid to ask," he offered.

"I understand sir. We will be leaving now. Let's go, Ruby." Weiss gave a short curtsy. The gothic lolita themed girl nodded and followed the Ice Princess out the door. Ozpin watched as they left. When the door closed behind them, he let out a deep breath.

That was slightly harder than he had anticipated. He only hoped that the talk with JNPR would be more understanding. The Schnee's were always so political and careful with their words. Weiss was no different. She was seventeen, which made it even harder to reason with her.

What a troubled time this was.

On the other side of the door, the two girls stood next to each other, taking in what they'd just heard.

"I'm not happy, but at least we know it wasn't Yang or Blake's fault," Weiss sighed, turning to her red themed leader. The girl in question just seemed saddened by this whole fiasco. There were only two weeks until the Vytal Festival and her team probably just had its biggest hiccup yet.

"Will we be okay Weiss? I don't want us to fall apart. I want us to be the best team… like a family," Ruby spoke up in a worried tone. Weiss stopped, inhaled and exhaled in a controlled manner.

"You're over thinking it dolt. Of course, we will be fine. Teams have disputes like this all the time. Granted, ours was a bit heated, but did you really think that after Blake's little White Fang episode we had, that it would be the last time our team had problems? No, there will always be problems Ruby, we just have to learn to deal with things like adults," the Ice Princess explained. Ruby lightened up a bit.

"I'm still a bit sad that Yang lied to us, but I feel a bit better knowing that it wasn't on purpose." Weiss had to agree. At least they had agreed on something.

* * *

The girls met up with Gohan just outside Beacon and took off into the sky shortly after. The Saiyan hybrid held the map, while the other three flew behind him. Pyrrha and Blake had trouble keeping up with Yang's speed, and Yang had trouble keeping up with Gohan. He was flying at an average pace (for him) to allow them to stay with him.

It had taken them many hours over the space of the day to reach their destination. The girls had to stop a few times to replenish their strength before taking off into the air once again. Unlike Gohan, who was totally unaffected, they weren't used to flying long distance. Occasionally they needed to take walking breaks on the ground.

Once they got within a few miles out of the town, they landed to recover their strength. Who knew if they would need it, whatever had destroyed the town could be still stalking around somewhere. Walking along the path to the village, they couldn't see anything that would hint at a battle having taken place. However, considering that they couldn't hear a single sound in a place that normally should have been lively with activity, things were certainly not normal.

"I'm not feeling so good about this. Something doesn't seem right," Pyrrha commented as they approached the town. The raven haired cat faunus nodded, there was something incredibly unnerving about this situation.

"I can't help but agree with that," Blake remarked. The half-Saiyan scowled as they came upon the town. He couldn't sense a single energy signature in the area beside their own. In the absence of what energy normally should have been there, an overlay of thick darkness seemed to cloud the area and his senses. It was, for lack of a better descriptor, simply _terrifying_. He'd never felt anything like it, and this worried him immensely.

"Stay focused, and stay on guard," he replied quietly.

As they walked into the town, things grew even stranger and scarier.

"What the hell happened here…?" Blake gasped, while everyone else was rendered speechless. They were met with chilling silence, a shifting breeze swept through the streets, a haunting sight in front of them.

Clothes. Countless articles of clothing spread about everywhere.

In any other situation, one might have assumed that everyone had stripped and run off into the wild, abandoning the town. Of course, that was obviously not the case here, but what could have possibly done this? It surely couldn't have been the Grimm. As they continued on their way, they were met with broken windows, and more clothes everywhere they went.

A crow flew down and transformed in front of them revealing Qrow, who looked just as shocked and downcast as they were. He gazed around with a somber and dark look behind his eyes.

"I know," Qrow voiced darkly, reading the expressions of all present. "I've never seen anything like this either. It's like something straight out of my nightmares. This ain't Grimm, and it's sure as hell not bandits. This is something else entirely," the drunkard continued. He had just arrived here at the same time as the group. They were all looking around.

"I don't like it here. This is… this is a whole new feeling of creepiness," Yang spoke up. Pyrrha was just silent as she looked around. A tear dropped from her eyes. She couldn't understand what had happened here. It was like everyone had been vaporized, sucked right out of their clothes. What had happened...and what had the ability to do something like this?

"Let's just stick together. Whatever did this might still be here, or in the surrounding area," Gohan warned. Nobody had a problem with that. They all walked together, watching carefully, their eyes scanning the area. The only sound that could be heard was the wind gently rustling the clothes strewn all over the ground.

They were everywhere. They lay in the street, in cars, homes, they even hung out of some windows. It was terrifying just to try and imagine what had gone on here.

"There is no sign of _any_ conflict here. It's like whatever did this caught the entire town by surprise. What kind of monster managed to do something like this to _fifty thousand people_ over night? I don't understand any of this," Qrow growled. He had been looking into more clues and movements of Salem's group when this had come up.

Seems Salem would be taking a backseat for now. Whoever was capable of doing this to a small town was a serious danger to the people of Remnant.

"Why the clothes, though?" Yang wrinkled her nose as she was picking up a pair of clothes, clearly female. Panties, underwear, shirt, and skirt. _Everything_. It was like this girl had just stripped down and danced off like the rest of the town. What on Remnant could have-

Wait.

"Guys, take a look at the clothes. There's a hole in this shirt, like… something had stabbed whoever was wearing the clothes," the blonde voiced. Immediately, the rest of the group examined different sets of clothes that were nearby them. They were shocked to find a similar hole in each set of clothes. Each was large enough to be a stab wound.

"Same sized hole in these," the faunus noted as she examined her chosen clothes over.

"Yep, you're right. Same over here as well," Gohan muttered, dropping the articles of clothing to the ground. Qrow threw his away in disgust. Pyrrha was just staring around, looking at the buildings. It was like this town had a killer that had gutted it when it wasn't looking.

"No structural damage… no signs of any kind of conflict. It can't be a Grimm," the amazon warrior theorized as she turned to the others, a look of absolute confusion on her face. "From what I have read, bandits leave a signature behind on the places they attack. The entire town is in pristine condition… but," Pyrrha trailed off.

"Everyone's either dead, or they all ran off butt naked. I'm willing to bet dead, since there seems to be a stab wound in every piece of clothing, but if that's the case then where are the bodies?" the fiery blonde of the group asked, a small hint of fear in her voice. Blake swallowed hard as a possible answer came to her mind.

"I… I don't think I want to know the answer to that question," the bow wearing faunus replied, feeling a little sick. Qrow sighed in frustration.

"What the hell… this isn't making a lick of sense," he growled as the group looked around. They had been walking around town now for a little over thirty minutes and had found nothing but wind, clothes and broken buildings.

"It's like whoever did this sucked the people right out of their clothes… but why?" Pyrrha's voice was shaky and nervous. She looked towards the others for an answer, but they were just as clueless. Gohan had a hand to his chin in deep thought. Why did he get the strange feeling like this was something an Android would and could do?

"Sucking the life out of a town. All its inhabitants… gone. They clearly hadn't been attacked by ki, otherwise, the clothes would be gone as well, or at least in pieces. Whatever did this was looking for something," Gohan summarized. Qrow scoffed.

"Or someone. Why else attack a town?" Qrow said. There was some silence as the group thought for any kind of answer to this madness.

Then they all heard it.

The sound of heavy footsteps in the darkened alley next to them. They all peered into it, and then they _felt_ it. An overpowering, suffocating, malicious energy. So much stronger, darker, and colder than they had ever felt. Gohan knew the moment he sensed this new being that it dwarfed the Androids he had fought in strength alone.

" **Hm… what do we have here?** " the new being hissed. The moment it walked out of the shadows and into the light, Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang took a marginal step backward in retreat. It was the most horrifying thing they had ever laid eyes on. This thing wasn't even human, let alone a faunus. No, this thing looked like an overgrown bug.

It was big. It was green. And it reeked of evil and death.

Held by the creature's hand was a struggling human. He wanted so desperately to escape the madness. The bloodshot look in his eyes screamed of terror. He turned to see the newcomers to the town that was now just a ghost land, full of life only a day prior.

"PLEASE HELP ME! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!" he screamed. No one moved, either from shock or from the fact that if they did the monster wouldn't hesitate to slaughter the man in front of them. Gohan, however, immediately took a step forward. He showed no signs of fear.

"Let. Him. Go." the Saiyan growled, his hands tightening. The creature smirked and dropped the man.

He fell on his front, but his legs were so paralyzed with fear that he couldn't stand. He tried to crawl away, he pleaded for help, but everyone's eyes were on the creature. Finally, Pyrrha snapped out of it as she started to make her way over to the man.

"Everything will be alright sir, we can-" Pyrrha was cut off as the tail of the creature suddenly impaled the man's back. She gasped and recoiled in horror, as did everyone present. They watched slowly as the man tried to crawl away, but he got weaker, and suddenly, his skin started to deflate like a balloon.

Pyrrha stumbled back, her eyes widened in shock.

They all watched as the man's skin deflated, turning to a pale yellow before being sucked out of his clothes and into the tail of the creature. They could hear his remains being pulled up through the tail and into the monster's body.

Blake and Yang wanted to throw up.

Qrow was livid, as was Gohan.

Pyrrha was speechless.

"Now, that was refreshing. I always feel so welcoming after a good meal. Let's get acquainted with each other… shall we?" the creature laughed as he gazed upon their reactions.

While Gohan was initially shocked, he had seen aliens before. The likes of Freeza and the others desensitized him to the ugly forms of alien life. But that wasn't what he was most shocked at. It was the fact of what he was sensing now that this thing was standing right in front of him.

Vegeta?

Piccolo?

His father?

All the Z Fighters!

Even himself! Just what the hell was this thing? He even seemed to have the energy of Freeza and King Cold inside of him! This monstrosity… whatever it was, seemed to have the energy of every warrior Gohan had ever known or fought. He could also sense multiple other energy signatures he didn't even recognize.

"Okay, honestly... you are hard to look at," Qrow spat, taking a small step back and his weapon from his back. The girls did so as well, Yang cocking Ember Celica, Pyrrha unsheathing Milo and Akouo, and Blake removing Gambol Shroud from her lower back.

"Ah… well if it isn't Qrow Branwen, a pleasure to meet the infamous alcoholic, and feared hunter," the creature mockingly bowed, electing a growl from the man in question. Gohan then powered up, catching the creature's attention. It zeroed in on him.

"And you, Son Gohan… spawn of the legendary Son Goku. What a pleasure it is to finally make your acquaintance. You killed my Androids, and I'm not very happy about that," the creature frowned menacingly. Gohan growled, with that comment he was immediately he was on guard. Whatever this thing was, it had some sort of connection to Seventeen and Eighteen, which meant that this was a threat which had probably hitched a ride with him to Remnant.

"Who are you!? And why am I sensing my father in you!? Vegeta and Freeza too!?" Gohan growled. The creature laughed and licked its lips. It's feral gaze unnerved Gohan. What the hell was this thing?

"Hm… what an interesting occurrence," he remarked to himself, completely ignoring the question. "I didn't think I'd come across you so soon, but then again, I didn't really know what I was expecting when I decided to pay this town a small visit. They aren't very friendly people, and they didn't seem to want to... _cooperate,_ " it chuckled sinisterly. Gohan growled while Qrow's weapon switched to its scythe mode. Pyrrha and the others remained silent, ready for anything.

"What the _hell_ did you do to that man!?" Qrow questioned angrily. The being chuckled, turning his gaze back to Qrow.

"Him? Oh, he is now a part me, just like all of the others. A part of _perfection_ , to be more exact. Of course, they didn't see it my way at first, but they all came around eventually," the bug creature grinned. Qrow felt like he was going to be sick while the girls behind Gohan gasped.

"You… you murdered everyone in this city! You… _monster_!" Yang screamed, her eyes already blood red from her semblance. The creature burst into laughter.

"Murdered? No… haven't you been listening? They are here," he gestured to his form. "They are inside of me and have contributed to my evolution. Why would I murder and destroy such precious power?" Gohan stood in front of Yang, looking rage filled. He didn't know what this creature was, or what it wanted, but it was clearly more dangerous and destructive than the Androids could ever hope to be.

"What exactly are you?" Gohan growled. The green monster smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" it mocked. "Why don't you try prying it out of me?"

A white flaming aura exploded around Gohan. The sheer force of it almost blew the girls away. Qrow watched Gohan carefully, wondering if he would transform like he did when he first encountered the boy thirteen years ago at Mountain Glenn. No matter where he looked, that golden transformation was something that still eluded him.

" _Gladly,_ " the Saiyan responded curtly.

Gohan shot forward at a blinding speed, kicking up dust. His fist outstretched, he aimed to cripple the creature immediately. His punch connected with the creature's arm, as it had lifted to block. The moment his fist connected, a sonic boom erupted from the area, causing the ground to crack beneath their feet.

"Interesting," it commented. "You are much stronger than the Doctor's data suggests," Gohan's eyes widened at this comment.

" _Data!? Is he an Android!?_ " he thought desperately. In his moment of distraction, the green monster had latched onto his arm. Suddenly, he found his body being twirled around, his enemy prepping to throw him into a nearby building. When the creature let go, the Saiyan hybrid was sent hurling away, but Gohan was ready for this. Using his momentum, he landed on the side of the building and jumped off, rocketing back at his foe.

"What!?" it's shriek was loud and clear. Gohan twirled and slammed his foot into the bug monster's neck. The green monster was sent flying. Meanwhile, the girls and Qrow were watching with wide eyes. Never before had they seen anything close to the sheer speed and power that was being displayed. It all happened in mere seconds.

It had been so hard to follow!

"Holy-… this is crazy!" Yang commented, sweat starting to form on her forehead. She had barely been able to follow Gohan's movements. He had taken off at such speed it had almost blown her away! Blake was clearly sharing the same thoughts while Pyrrha seemed to be trying her best to convince herself that this situation was even happening in the first place.

"Hey!" Qrow called out, snapping the girls out of their thoughts. "We're in the middle of a fight. Stay on guard and let Gohan do the heavy hitting. Don't let him catch you off guard!"

" **Got you!** " the creature laughed as it suddenly appeared in front of Pyrrha. Gohan was too far away to get there in time, but someone else had it covered. Pyrrha raised her shield as the monster's tail shot towards her. It embedded itself in the golden shield, piercing it all the way, but not reaching the amazon warrior herself.

"Ah!" The monster's worried tone indicated that it was stuck as it wriggled its tail trying to free itself from the shield, it's failed attempt at killing Pyrrha having placed it in a vulnerable position. Yang took this opportunity to strike. She leaped out of formation and threw her hands down at the creature's face.

"Try eating **this**!" she growled. A bubble of energy appeared in her hands. Before it could escape, she fired. The blast connected with its face, sending it spiraling backward into a nearby building. It collided with a wall, denting it and sliding down to its feet. Yang's fist pumped at her successful hit.

Her smile faded however when the creature started laughing.

It stood up.

Not a single scratch graced its features.

"You pack quite a punch…" it chuckled menacingly. " **But that really only tickled.** " The intimidating monster stalked toward the girls while Gohan landed in front of them protectively. He turned to Yang, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Nice save Yang, but he's way beyond your league. Try and protect each other, don't engage him alone. Let me take him," he whispered to the girls. Qrow came up and stood beside them, his sword already shifted into its scythe mode. They all nodded in understanding.

The demi-Saiyan turned back to the creature.

"So far that girl is the first person I have encountered who is capable of using her energy. Everyone else that I have absorbed seemed to have different and strange abilities. However, they were strong in their own right, providing me enough power to fuel my evolution forward," it grinned. Gohan scowled.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. The creature stood up straight, it's tail whipping around behind it like an excited puppy. It was clear the creature was having fun, or at least, it was very interested in the current situation.

"I happened to come across one other female that possessed unique and strange abilities…" it grinned. Qrow froze at that comment but said nothing.

"Why don't you tell us who you are before we kill you," Gohan suggested dangerously, his wild power flaring. The creature was unaffected but laughed and resigned to the question.

"Very well, I will humor your feeble minds," it chuckled. The group remained on guard while the creature began its story.

"I assume you are familiar with the brilliant scientist, Dr. Gero?" it asked. Gohan's scowl darkened even more.

"Damn it," the half-Saiyan swore under his breath. " _Another Android? This doesn't look like one Qrow described from his story about Mountain Glenn,_ "

The creature's grin only grew.

"My name is Cell. While it's true that I am a creation of Dr. Gero, unlike my cyborg counterparts, I am purely biological. My sole purpose was to achieve perfection by absorbing the likes of Android Seventeen and Eighteen, but when I awoke, I found that they had been destroyed. Even stranger, I noticed that I was no longer on the planet that my data programmed into me aligned with," the being named Cell stated.

Yang, Blake, and Pyrrha spared a small glance at Gohan. Cell spoke of a man named Dr. Gero, the same one that Gohan had been talking to them about previously on the Lookout, and he mentioned being from another planet. Suddenly, the idea of ki not having been discovered on Remnant until Gohan's arrival made a lot more sense.

"I destroyed the Androids. Your quest has no purpose," Gohan snapped with a scowl. Cell grinned.

"But that's where you're wrong, _boy_ ," Cell's face darkened. "You intervened with my evolutionary process when you destroyed the Master Computer in the good Doctor's lab. I was unfinished, and with that, you _would_ have killed me. If not for your battle with my cousin counterparts at Mountain Glenn, that is,"

"Wait, what?" Yang cut-in.

"Be quiet Yang," Qrow snapped. Yang wanted to retort, but a glare from her uncle told her to be quiet and listen.

"If it wasn't for your battle, my glass chamber would never have been shattered. I was pushed out into a world that I wasn't ready for. I was convinced I was going to perish then and there, but I found something that helped my body adjust and progress further, and to _grow_ …" Cell explained.

"What did you find?" Gohan pushed further.

"Multi-colored crystals that harbored the energy I needed to continue my evolution. Imagine my surprise when such a simple object can contain such a large amount of energy," Cell continued. Qrow's eyes widened, as did the girls, but it was Blake who beat them to the punch.

"You've been… _absorbing_ Dust!?" she exclaimed in disbelief. The drunkard huntsman scowled.

"Of course, Mountain Glenn was a Dust rich area and you've been feeding off of it. Why am I not surprised that a parasite like you can absorb power from that," the man growled darkly. Cell held up a palm as a ball of energy appeared in his hands. The energy changed color multiple times. Blue, green, red, yellow…

"This substance called Dust has gifted me incredible power. Absorbing it grants me strange and unfathomable abilities. If not for Dust, I would have been dead by now. It is also because of your intervention, Gohan, that reaching my perfect evolution will be a tedious journey,"

"Why?" he asked, his tone indicating that his patience was running very thin.

"I no longer require Androids Seventeen and Eighteen to achieve my perfect evolution. I am now required to seek out power sources large enough to build my power high enough to evolve. I've already found one source, a particular female with extraordinary power did the trick perfectly…" Cell grinned.

"You've been looking for the Maidens…" Qrow spoke, almost breathlessly. The green bio-android grinned.

"If that's what they are referred to, then you are correct," Cell smirked as he crossed his arms, after which his look darkened almost gleefully. " **And I've already absorbed one,** " Qrow's horrified expression doubled if possible. His grip on his weapon tightened.

"She proved rather troublesome, but I absorbed her in the end, and the power I was gifted with was beyond anything I could have imagined. However, it was not quite enough to push me to my next stage," Cell explained, but then he frowned.

"However, I found that absorbing the wild, shadow-like animals had the opposite effect. Absorbing lifeless creatures created a cancer in my body that was slowly killing me. It took me awhile to rid myself of the filth, but absorbing the Maiden seemed to provide me with enough power to expel that sickness," the green menace elaborated.

"Why…" Gohan snarled, as he slowly powered up. "Why absorb all these innocent people? Why couldn't you just leave them alone!?" he growled. His hair flashed blonde briefly, and his eyes shifted to teal green and back. Qrow noted he was on the verge of transforming again, which meant that this would be another fight like the fight he had witnessed thirteen years previous.

"All these people here are helping me towards achieving my perfect evolution. The more power and aura I consume, the closer I become to achieving perfection. I must seek out the right sources to do so. And when I find it, I will be the most powerful being in existence, just like the good Doctor intended," Cell finished. Qrow growled hatefully.

"I've heard enough."

"And I'm done talking. Prepare to become a part of _perfection_ ," Cell grinned. They didn't even get time to brace themselves before Cell launched into a full-frontal attack. He vanished from sight.

"Pyrrha!" Gohan called out spinning around. The girl only had mere moments to spin around and block the strike meant to kill her from behind with her golden shield. The amount of force behind the punch from Cell was enough to send her spiraling into a nearby building regardless of her block.

She hit the wall hard, dropping her weapons and falling to the ground. Her eyes fluttering, trying to blink the unbearable pain away.

Yang and Blake launched into an attack, coming in on Cell on both sides. The creature saw this and blocked both attacks with ease. Yang jumped away from the failed encounter while Blake used her semblance to leave a clone which exploded in Cell's face, landing the first successful attack on the bug.

"That stung a little, I have to admit you have sharp reflexes," he smirked. Gohan attacked at full base power. He didn't feel as if he needed Super Saiyan quite yet, the full range of this Cell's abilities was unknown, so he wouldn't bother using Super Saiyan just yet.

"Then try me!" Gohan yelled as he engaged Cell. The bio-android shrieked in excitement as the hybrid Saiyan engaged the monster. The two were locked in a seemingly even storm of attacks that merely appeared as blurs of speed to most of the spectators. They disappeared and reappeared all over the battlefield.

Qrow had a sharp eye.

A well-placed shot sent Cell skidding backward away from Gohan when they reappeared. The green creature wiped a streak of blood from his cheek. By this time, Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang had re-joined the fight at Gohan's side. Cell was quickly becoming aware that he was outnumbered here. With Gohan, Qrow, and the three rookies behind them, he didn't stand a chance. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

"Well? Come get some," Cell beckoned. Qrow answered that call, speeding forward with Gohan in tow. With a flurry of sonic speeds, Qrow sliced and diced with his sword, forcing Cell to retreat a little bit to avoid the strikes. Gohan attacked from behind putting Cell on the defense.

Cell suddenly shot into the air and high into the sky, he placed two fingers to his forehead. They started to crackle with intense power and energy, everyone present could feel the power the creature was channeling. He grinned.

"Try this! **Makankosappo**!" Cell shouted as the attack exploded from his fingertips, shooting forward toward Pyrrha and Qrow. Luckily, Gohan sped toward them and backhanded the attack away. It rocketed into the sky, blowing the clouds away for miles until it exploded, lighting up the area like a nuclear blast.

The demi-Saiyan shook his hand, smoke rising from the area that made contact with the blast, the back of it coming out only a little scorched from deflecting the attack.

" _That was Piccolo's attack!_ " the demi-Saiyan exclaimed in his thoughts.

"Ah, you're much stronger than I had anticipated. I see that you've been teaching these girls how to use their energy. They've grown strong in their time training with you," Cell analyzed. Gohan scowled as he floated up until he was level with Cell. The disgusting creature started him down, and he did the same.

"I won't let you get away with what you've done here," Gohan promised. Cell merely laughed.

"You can't stop me Gohan. I know that you are fighting at your maximum power, but I know you're hiding something else… However, **I'm not worried in the slightest,** " Cell grinned as the rest of the group flew up and placed themselves next to Gohan. Cell looked annoyed by their presence.

"They're not going to replace what you've lost Gohan. Nothing can," Cell taunted. Gohan snarled.

"Stop trying. I'm already aware of what I've lost. I've had years to move on. I'm not trying to replace them, I have new people here I have to protect from people like you!" Gohan snarled. Cell straightened up and beckoned his hands forth.

"Then what are you waiting for! Come and make me pay. Destroy me like you did my brother and sister! Rip me apart, piece by piece. Show your friends your **true** power! Show them the kind of person you had to become so you could finally destroy the Androids!" Cell taunted. Gohan's power shot through the roof.

Everyone in the air next to him was almost blown away. With a scream, Gohan shot forth and engaged the monster in a lightning fast duel. For the first time since the fight started, Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang actually couldn't keep up with the speed of the fight. Their eyes darted around, trying to follow the energy they were sensing.

Qrow on the other hand, was just barely managing to keep up with the flow of battle. Rearing his weapon back, he made sure the weapon was in its released scythe mode before throwing it at an area of the battlefield. He was spot on.

Gohan and Cell appeared at just the right moment and place for his weapon to slice right through Cell's tail like a hot knife through butter. The creature bellowed in agony before Gohan took the chance to smack him back down to the ground. Cell plummeted back to the earth below, causing a massive crater to form from the high-speed impact.

Qrow quickly caught his weapon and shifted it back into its sword from. He flicked the purple blood off the blade, disgusted that it had tasted such a vile substance.

The green menace pushed himself out of the crater and stared up at the sky where his opponents still floated, watching him carefully, making sure that they weren't caught off guard again. This was starting to get irritating. He couldn't fight multiple people like this, especially when Gohan could match him at his current state of power.

"This is quite unfair. Don't suppose we can fight one at a time, can we?" Cell growled as Gohan smacked him to the side. Cell was sent skidding into a ditch. Gohan growled at Cell as the green bug pulled himself to his feet and floated out of the ditch with a new-found power and golden glow about him.

Cell then screamed, pushing out a brand-new tail. The action made the girls turn green. They hadn't ever seen something so… disgusting. Green slime was dripping from the tail as it waved about in the air. How were they supposed to damage this thing if it could regenerate limbs like that?

"Fair? Is that what the people of this city got before you ruthlessly slaughtered them?" Gohan yelled. Cell was about to respond before he found himself smacked with various degrees of metals, courtesy from Pyrrha. The girl was conducting her semblance flawlessly putting Cell, once again, at the disadvantage.

" _This is starting to get frustrating._ " Cell deflected an energy blast from Gohan only to be smacked back down to the ground by a red-eyed Yang. The force behind the punch was enough to damage Cell slightly. He knew he had to retreat. As a team, they were overpowering him, but individually… he could easily pick them apart.

This wasn't going to work out for him. He had to escape and grow stronger. He couldn't face them like this. He was fighting a losing battle, and Gohan would surely kill him here if he didn't try to escape soon.

"Well this has been fun and all," Cell said as he blocked a sneak attack from Blake. He caught her, and before she even knew what had happened, Cell rammed a knee into her stomach full force. Blake's aura shattered immediately from the force of the blow, and her ribs cracked under the pressure. It had been so strong and direct, it was enough for the girl to spew blood from her mouth.

" **BLAKE!** " Yang screamed. Blake dropped to her knees and fell face first into the pavement, blood leaking from her mouth. It had been such a sudden attack. Blake had tried to catch the monster off-guard, but he had sensed her from miles away. She had a full aura as well. For it to shatter after one blow…

"Yang NO!" Qrow and Gohan screamed, but all she was seeing was red.

The blonde shot forward, her hair blazing bright golden, her eyes rage filled and colored blood red with hate and bloodlust. She threw her fist forward into Cell's face with full intent to take the bug's head off. However, Cell grinned. She suddenly found her body stopped dead, her hand having been caught just as easily has Gohan had done weeks ago.

A green hand held Yang's arm in place, she tried to struggle but it proved useless.

"You should have listened to your friends, girlie," Cell chuckled menacingly. Cell applied more pressure to Yang's arm and promptly snapped it like a twig. She screamed, bellowing in agony as his grip tightened. Cell looked past her and quickly fired off a few ki blasts.

Gohan acted quickly and brought up an energy shield to protect Qrow and Pyrrha from the attack that was powerful enough to erase the hunter and huntress off the face of Remnant. However, Cell merely shot them as a distraction. His gaze returned to Yang, tail wagging excitedly.

In one quick motion, the tail shot forward and embedded itself in Yang's stomach. Her aura shimmered and shattered accordingly. A blood-curdling scream erupted from her lips as the tail started to pull the life from her body. She had much more than the average huntress, human or faunus, so it would take a little while longer to drain her.

" **NOO!** " Gohan screamed as the smoke cleared. A brilliant golden aura exploded around him. His hair turning golden and his eyes shifting into a teal green. Pyrrha was actually blown off her feet by the sheer amount of power that had exploded from him. Qrow had managed to hold his ground but took off to catch Pyrrha who was blown away like paper in a hurricane.

In a split second, Gohan appeared at Cell's side, a foot planted directly in the creature's stomach. The tail was ripped out of Yang's stomach, blood pouring from the blonde's mouth. She fell to the ground, shaking in pain, her eyes almost ghostly. There was a bloody hole in her stomach, large enough for blood loss to be a factor should she perish.

The half-Saiyan, in a fit of rage, cupped his hands, gathering a fierce amount of energy as he eyed the evil creature that he had knocked away from his blonde friend. A frightening amount of power appeared in his hand, in the form of a blue sphere. It painted his surroundings in a majestic aqua blue light.

" **KAMEHAMEHA!** " A blue destructive energy wave exploded from Gohan's hands and thundered towards Cell who was attempting to pick himself up from the ditch he found himself in. The bug didn't have time to dodge and raised his hands to block the attack. It collided with the green monster and pushed him back. Cell quickly realized that this beam struggle wasn't going to go his way.

"Damn it!" Cell powered up to maximum, which halted his movement. Gohan pushed more power into the attack, which promptly exploded after the overload. The entire area was flooded with light. Yang's pained form and Blake's unconscious body were blown away. Unable to control their bodies, they landed hard next to a building.

Pyrrha and Qrow had to shield their eyes from the blinding light, but once it disappeared, they found that a good portion of the town and its buildings had been erased from existence. Pyrrha stumbled to her feet while Qrow stood up with a pained expression on his face.

"Jesus, it's like Mountain Glenn all over again!" he coughed as he waved the dust out of his face. Pyrrha looked around, chuckling almost madly at the situation she was currently stuck in.

"What kind of… _nightmare_ am I in right now!?" she stated in a ghostly tone. Qrow laughed mirthlessly.

" _I can't blame you kid… I asked the same question thirteen years ago,_ "

Cell growled as he once again pushed himself up from the crater that he had found himself in. This time he was seriously damaged. Bleeding from multiple places all over his body. He had managed to reduce the damage, but not negate it. He had vastly underestimated Gohan's transformation.

Said rage-filled demi-Saiyan landed a few feet from the green menace looking ready to fire off another one. He didn't even look exhausted from that. He just glared angrily at the monster while Cell glared back. The green bug cleared his throat as he started to channel his energy.

"Like I said, this has been fun and all, but I think it's time to take my leave now," Cell spoke as he took to the air, flying high so he blocked out the sun. Qrow's sword shifted into its scythe form once again as he dashed towards Cell.

"I don't think so!" Qrow snapped angrily. Cell smirked as he raised his hands to his head.

" **Solar Flare!** " Cell called out. A bright light emitted from the area, blinding everyone in the vicinity. Everyone shielded their eyes in fear of being blinded. It was too much. None of them could see at all.

Cell then took this opportunity to fly away as fast as he could. He landed a few miles east of Newville and hid his energy. He would have to be careful from now on. Gohan and the others would be looking for him. He had things he needed to investigate, and more power to collect. It wasn't long now, he could feel his evolution coming.

When the light died down after a few moments, Cell was gone and with no trace what so ever. Gohan and Qrow couldn't even sense his energy anymore. He did well at hiding it. This was something that brought Gohan to almost a level of rage he had never experienced before.

"Shit!" the older huntsman cursed. He had let possibly one of the biggest threats to Remnant escape. The dust cleared, the group had been severely crippled with both Yang and Blake taking a brief brush with death. However, it seemed that the blonde was still flirting with the devil at this current moment.

Blood erupted once more from Yang's mouth as she struggled to stay alive, the hole in her stomach was starting to stain the ground beneath her. Qrow immediately saw this and dashed to her side, his eyes searching and examining her body rapidly for the extent of the damage.

"Gohan!" Qrow called out, the boy was at his side in an instant. Pyrrha had rushed over to Blake and had hoisted the girl onto her shoulders. The corners of the cat-faunus' mouth were dripping with the metallic-tasting crimson liquid, but at least she would survive. She had a steady flow of energy. Yang's was falling fast. She would die if she didn't get medical attention.

"I will never make it back to Beacon in time," the drunkard slammed the ground next to his oldest niece in anger. "She's got minutes... at the most, and there are no hospitals around here," Qrow spat desperately as he pulled out a few bandages and tried to clean Yang's wounds, but her entire body was dying, and her skin had gone ice cold.

"Come on firecracker hang in there!"

Pyrrha watched with terrified eyes, her legs shaking and tears starting to form in her eyes as Yang's life force started to slip away. She could feel it, like a warm candle that was flickering in a chilling blizzard. She wasn't going to survive.

"She's going to die…" Pyrrha gasped in horror. Gohan scowled as he quickly bent down and picked her up in bridal style. She had since passed out, her arms drooped to her side, her eyes closed in a pained, but blissful slumber. He looked at her beaten form, a feeling of unbearable rage clouded his mind as he thought about who was responsible.

Was it his fault for bringing her along?

"No one dies today." It was a statement. The golden aura flashed around Gohan, covering both him and the blonde girl in his arms. He turned to Qrow and Pyrrha.

"Get back to Beacon as fast as you can. We need to get these two medical treatment and Ozpin needs to know what happened here," the demi-Saiyan spoke. Qrow nodded.

"Leave Ozpin to me, now get going! She doesn't have much time left!" Qrow shouted. Gohan nodded. In a split second, he had taken to the sky, and a sonic boom sounded as he flew into the distance at Mach speed. Qrow and Pyrrha watched the clouds split apart from the direction that Gohan had flown off toward with Yang.

Qrow let out a shaky sigh as he turned to Pyrrha.

"Let's get going. Your cat friend will live. Let's just take it slowly. She just has a couple of broken ribs and a bit of shock. Her aura will be enough to heal her in due time, but…" Qrow turned away and ran both hands through his hair in abject frustration, stress, and worry.

"My god, what an absolute mess," he exclaimed as he turned to the town, or what remained of it. Pyrrha looked around as well, her sense sort of dulled and emotionally drained from the battle they had just been a part of. Multiple, if not countless buildings that had been here upon arrival now ceased to exist.

"Let's just go," Pyrrha swallowed as she floated into the air, carrying Blake with her. "The longer I spend here, the more I want to be sick," she was actually starting to look a bit green. This place reeked of fire, death, and decay. All she wanted to do was leave. Floating into the air with Qrow, and Blake supported firmly on her back, she looked down.

The Grimm were starting to pour into the remains of the city. Looking around for any prey. As she looked down upon the Grimm, a couple had looked up at her and sort of just sat and observed her, as if they were waiting for something to happen.

"Let's go, Nikos. We're burning daylight," Qrow snapped. Pyrrha shook herself out of her slump as a red aura formed around her.

"Right behind you,"

The two flew off back to Beacon with an unconscious Blake, not daring to look back.

A new threat had made itself known.

* * *

The Saiyan hybrid had wasted no time getting to the destination that he was aiming for. He had made it back to Beacon in mere minutes. The added speed and endurance that came with his Super Saiyan transformation managed to save Yang's life as he got her to a hospital faster than he had ever gone before. He delivered her to the front and watched as she was wheeled off into the ER.

He powered down, his form returning to its normal state as he sat down and waited. It was agonizing waiting this long to hear if she had survived. Regardless of that fact, he could still feel her energy. Clearly, she had survived, and her energy was now returning at a stable pace. The real question was if she was physically okay. He would never forgive himself if she suffered permanent damage.

Finally, after three hours of waiting patiently, he was called through by one of the nurses that had operated on her. He walked down the hallways, his body mostly numb with guilt and regret. It plagued his mind with doubt, knowing that he should have denied her outright when she had demanded that she come along with him. It was a mistake he had made, and it was not something he was willing to do again.

When he walked into her room, he found that she was resting peacefully in the room, hooked up to a heart rate monitor. The nurse smiled reassuringly towards him.

"She will be fine. She has lost a lot of blood so right now she just needs her rest. She has an exceptionally strong aura for someone her age. In fact, it's probably one of the most potent auras I've ever seen in a Beacon Academy student. Her body is already repairing the damage that was inflicted on her," the nurse stated as she flicked through the readings and paperwork on her clipboard. She looked up, seeing his distant eyes scanning the unconscious blonde.

"May I ask how she ended up in such a condition? Was it Grimm?" she asked. Gohan didn't respond. The nurse took that as a silent confirmation. She looked back down at her paperwork in front of her. She was a first-year student apparently. What on Remnant had she been doing out on such a dangerous mission?

"What is your relationship with her, if I might ask?" she asked.

"I'm her friend," he responded rather bluntly. The nurse looked at him for a few seconds. His distant and pain-stricken face was something that made her very uncomfortable. She cleared her throat, bringing his attention back to her.

"Who would you like me to contact?" she asked. It was against protocol to ask, and she knew this, but the look on the boys face told her this was a serious and possibly confidential situation. It wasn't often a huntress was admitted to a public hospital. Normally their aura did most of the healing for them, or they wound up dead before they could be saved.

"Professor Ozpin of Beacon Academy. Then her parents," he stated as he walked over and sat down next to her bed. The nurse nodded.

"Right, of course. I'll inform them," she spoke before she left the room. When she closed the door behind her, Gohan was left alone in the room with Yang. The fiery blonde had her arms at her side, her chest rising in a controlled and peaceful rhythm. She was safe. She was going to live, but if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have been in this situation to begin with.

There was an uncomfortable, maddening silence as Gohan was left to his thoughts. He couldn't take his eyes off the unconscious girl lying in the hospital bed in front of him. His emotionally barren face was filled to the brim with thought and contemplation. He was sat forward in his chair, elbows rested on his knees and hands placed together in front of his mouth.

It was like he was waiting with anticipation for Yang to do anything to let him know that she was okay. He should have known this anyway. She was fine. Her heartbeat was steady, and her energy was stable. Yet here he was, sitting by her bed like some kind of paranoid family member. He couldn't take his eyes off her, like her form would shatter like glass if he were to look away.

He didn't know who to blame for this.

His thoughts first drifted to Ozpin. The man who had suggested that she, Blake, and Pyrrha go to investigate with him. This wouldn't have happened if the headmaster had just asked him privately. Why get the girls involved in something like this? The more he thought about it, the more the answer became clear.

The Headmaster had made an error in judgment. There was no way of knowing what had caused this sudden population blackout. It could have been anything. It rightfully could have been Grimm, despite what Ozpin had said. He had read that towns and villages outside the protection of the Kingdoms were susceptible to Grimm attacks.

While this was true, most of the time, there were survivors. Newville had absolutely none. That was almost unheard of in Grimm attacks. At least a handful of people normally escaped and survived to tell the tale. It was different when it came to bandit attacks, however. Bandits were organized and strategically planned their assaults.

He couldn't blame Ozpin. The man needed a group to go and investigate, so he turned to the group he trusted the most. The group he had the most faith in. He couldn't fault the man for that. His forgiving heart wouldn't let him blame the man for Yang's state.

Cell.

Yes. Gohan absolutely hated that monster. He had been the one trying to kill them after all. However, to Gohan, it became much more complicated than that. Cell was alive because of him. He was on Remnant, because of what had happened. Yang had almost died because of the actions, _he_ himself, had taken.

And just like that.

He found that he was pointing the blame at himself.

" _It's all my fault… I let this happen to you,_ " the Saiyan's thoughts were clouded with regret. His hands were rested on his knees, clutching the orange fabric of his clothing tightly. His knuckles went white as self-loathing hate coursed through his body, poisoning his mind and destroying his self-confidence. It was his fault she had gotten hurt.

" _I couldn't protect you,_ " tears started to form in his eyes. He slowly bowed his head in shame, looking towards the floor.

" _I wasn't fast enough,_ " he brought his hands towards his head, running his hardened hands through his wild black hair. He was hot and sticky from the fight, dust and grime infected his clothing, sticking to his skin. He could still taste death in the air from fighting in that ghostly town. It almost made him sick that there was something worse out there than the likes of Android Seventeen and Eighteen.

" _I… I never should have let you come. I should have faced that threat alone,_ " he chastised himself. How could he have possibly let this happen? He had been stupid enough to ignore the signs with the idea of believing that the Androids had nothing to do with it. Fifty thousand people vanishing overnight. It should have been a clear indication that an Android was responsible, but he had blatantly ignored it.

" _I'm a fool. I always have been,_ " the tears were starting to roll down his cheeks. He had brought these monsters to this world. She was lying in this bed, recovering from the brink of death because of something _he_ had done. This was _his_ fault. He looked up, through blurred eyes, he saw the form of the bombshell blonde resting peacefully, without a single worry.

He sat for a couple more hours by her bedside, hoping that she would wake up. His prayers went unanswered.

His mind drifted to Cell. That _monster_ was still out there, hunting down more people. Getting stronger.

" _No…_ " Gohan rose to his feet, hands clenched. An angry, black scowl appearing on his face. Teeth clenched and muscles tightening.

" _NO…_ " A powerful aura started to shimmer around his being.

" _I WON'T LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THIS!_ " he phased over to the window and threw it open. With a growl, he exploded out of the room, shooting off into the sky. In his rage, the familiar golden aura erupted around him. His hair changing back to it's golden, pristine state, and his eyes shifting back to a sea green color.

" _THIS IS MY FIGHT,_ " his mind screamed, fueling his anger further than it had ever gone before. Thoughts of Yang being hurt made his powerful golden aura flicker wildly. His face was molded into a solidified look of pure hate and anger. His speed increased, clouds evaporating as he shot through them at speeds incapable of being seen by the mortal eye.

" _THIS IS MY WAR. I WILL BE THE ONE TO FINISH IT!_ "

He wouldn't rest until Cell was a bloody pile, lying dead at his feet.

* * *

It wasn't long before both Qrow and Pyrrha arrived at the same hospital to see Ozpin, Ruby, and Weiss standing in the foyer, talking to the nurse that had been taking care of Yang. The moment the professor's eyes met the drunkard, a million words and feelings had been exchanged. Ozpin's hand had tightened around his cane as Ruby and Weiss turned around.

"Oh my gosh, Blake!" Ruby rushed over as Pyrrha gently placed Blake down on the carpeted ground. Weiss was quick to join her crimsonette leader at their unconscious teammate's side. The black cat-faunus had a pained expression on her face as the blood at the corners of her mouth had dried. Both Ruby and Weiss had to cover their mouths in horror at the state their faunus teammate was in.

"What… what.. _happened_?" Ruby croaked. Pyrrha had since kneeled down at Blake's side as a medical team rushed over towards Blake, immediately hoisted her into a stretcher and carried her off to the ER. Her case was much less fatal, but equally just as bad. She had massive internal bleeding and needed immediate medical treatment.

Ruby, Weiss, and Pyrrha watched as Blake was wheeled away.

The two girls turned to the invincible girl only to see a ghostly, pale white face, staring almost emotionlessly in the direction that Blake had been taken. It seemed that Ruby had run out of words to describe how she was feeling at this current moment, but Weiss still managed to find her voice as she turned to interrogate Pyrrha.

"Pyrrha, _what happened_?" Weiss demanded. The amazon warrior's head just drifted to the ground. Her body remaining uncharacteristically still. Her emerald green eyes were focused on a single point on the floor, as if she were desperately trying to organize her chaotic mind. After a few moments, it was clear that Pyrrha wasn't going to answer. Weiss's eyes just widened as she turned, and walked away in complete disbelief.

Ruby just sat down on the floor where she had been standing and tucked her knees into her chest. She pulled her red hood over her head and hid her head between her knees. All she wanted to do was hide the pain she was feeling right now. It was too much to bottle up.

"Red like… roses… fills my dreams," she began to hum quietly to herself as tears started to stream down her face. Everything had been going wrong for her lately. The lies, the deceit, and now… half her team had almost died on a mission they shouldn't have been on in the first place. Weiss was sitting down on a chair a few feet away from Ruby, and Pyrrha… the girl was stuck standing in the same spot, as if she were cursed to stand there for an eternity.

She hadn't even blinked.

Qrow and Ozpin met quietly as they looked over at the three girls.

"Qrow… what happened out there?" Ozpin asked in a demanding tone, and the drunkard knew exactly why. Gohan was nowhere to be found, and both Yang and Blake were stuck in the hospital. Everything that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong. It was honestly lucky that after the battle they had just had, being among the living was still something they all had in common.

"What happened out there? Oh, I'll tell you what happened out there. Salem just became a god-damned schoolyard bully compared to what we just went up against!" Qrow snapped. His eyes were focused solely on Ruby. The girl had wrapped her cloak around her. She only did that when she had been terrified of nightmares, and she had kicked that habit years ago. Ozpin's eyes widened significantly.

"What exactly do you mean?" he shot back rather quickly.

"An Android Oz," Qrow replied. "One that really doesn't like to screw around. He basically ate the entire town, adding the population to his biomass," the older huntsman stated. Ozpin's features hardened, the grip around his cane almost becoming obvious by the wise professor's white knuckles.

"What is this Android capable of?" he asked.

"He's already absorbed one of the Maidens, Oz," the information was almost enough to give Ozpin a heart attack. Suddenly an imminent threat even more prominent than Salem had made itself known, and it had already managed to get to one of the maidens? How could he have been so blind!? How could he have not seen or heard anything!?

"How is that possible?" the headmaster demanded quietly. He had to be careful not to draw too much attention. You could never be too careful, someone was always listening if you didn't pay enough attention. It was a little tip he had picked up on through his long life. However, this information was nothing short of shocking for the headmaster.

"I don't know," Qrow admitted, a dark look crossing his face. "This Android doesn't even look remotely human. It's like an overgrown bug. It drinks people through its tail, absorbing their power and growing stronger. A damn parasite if you ask me," the drunkard took out his flask and took a big swig of it. He swallowed hard before placing it back on his belt.

"Are you telling me that this creature possibly has the powers of one of the Maidens?" Ozpin asked quietly. Qrow kept his dark look as his gaze remained on the doorway he had seen Blake rushed off to. He could feel Yang's energy down there. She was safe and recovering, but Gohan's energy was nowhere to be found.

"I don't know a god-damn thing of what that blasted creature is capable of Oz. He's a walking, talking bug capable of putting my niece and her friend in the hospital after one hit. Yang almost died today, I hope you realize that Oz," Qrow growled. Ozpin clutched his cane angrily as he turned his head, looking down the corridor that held many rooms. Yang was in one of those rooms. The amount of guilt he was feeling right now was incomprehensible.

"I'm sorry Qrow."

"You always say that."

"I always mean it."

"I'm sure you do."

There was a moment of silence between the two. Ozpin turned and walked towards the corridor. He stopped before he entered, turning his head slightly to face Qrow.

"I'll watch over both Yang and Blake until they awake. What will you do?" Ozpin asked. Qrow sighed, turning to look at the girls who were still waiting quietly in the positions he had last seen them in. He turned his head back to Ozpin.

"I'm going to cheer up my youngest niece. Then I'm going to slap Nikos out of her slump; tell the ice princess to sharpen up and then…" the veteran huntsman scowled as he turned and looked out the nearest window. "I'm going to go find that idiot kid who decided it was a good idea to run off and wage a one man war against the largest threat that Remnant has ever faced," Qrow returned his gaze towards Ozpin. The headmaster nodded slowly.

"Do you still trust me… Qrow?" there was uncertainty in the headmaster's voice, something the drunkard wasn't used to hearing. It pissed him off.

"Shut the hell up Oz. You already know the answer to that question," Qrow pushed himself off the wall and started to make his way over towards the emotionally distraught Ruby Rose. "People make mistakes. Just make sure you don't make the same mistake again. _Especially_ if it involves my family," he walked over to Ruby and crouched down to comfort her.

Ozpin watched as the crimsonette lifted her head to see the friendly, comforting face of her uncle. He offered an embrace, and she accepted it gladly. The smaller girl sinking into the older man's arms. They were truly a family, watching out for each other. He knew he would be getting chewed out by Taiyang when he arrived.

The blonde man was always more optimistic than Qrow, but he was much more protective.

With that, he turned and walked off down the corridor. He had sent those girls to their deaths unknowingly. That was the _last_ time he would make that mistake.

" _Never again._ "

Professor Ozpin never made the same mistake twice.

Not anymore.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Oh my goodness, I am evil. I am terribly evil. I am so sorry. Poor Blake and Yang. They will recover, and they will be back stronger than ever, but not without their own scars. Pyrrha is shell-shocked from the experience. Qrow and Ozpin are trying to process the fact that Salem is now taking a Backseat to the new threat.**

 **Oh yeah.**

 **CELL.**

 **Be honest, how many of you saw this coming? I foreshadowed it pretty hard. I was practically beating you over the head with a stick last chapter with it.**

 **How many of you caught the "Nothing can possibly go wrong!" sort of line I put into Yang's thoughts early on in the chapter to foreshadow it? I'm evil too, y'know :)**

 **It got pretty obvious, but honestly, I really wanted to sell that build up to his introduction. Obviously, I will have to make some changes to his character.**

 **His growth to perfection will be different. Instead of needing 17 & 18, he needs to fill a progress bar of sorts. He needs to find and absorb large sources of power for him to evolve. This is how he will reach his Semi-Perfect form and eventually his Perfect form, but that's a while down the line from right now.**

* * *

 **Review Responses:**

 **Guest - 22 of March:**

 **Look. I get the fact that Power Levels are a constant theme in Dragon Ball Z that most people are unwilling to look past. The people in RWBY would stand no chance against the likes of Raditz or even a Saibaman. The idea that they could is absurd. However, you have to understand that this is a story. There has to be some kind of equilibrium, otherwise, it would feel like there's nothing at stake.**

 **Would you read a story where Gohan goes to Remnant and basically destroys all the evil without even trying? Because, realistically, that's probably what would happen, but that's NOT good storytelling. There has to be some kind of threat, but also, there has to be a way to resolve that threat. So many stories bank on the most powerful character to solve the issue. For this story, obvious it would be Gohan.**

 **But is that really all you want to see? What's the point of putting Gohan in Remnant when all the other characters are rendered completely and utterly useless? Why even do the crossover at all in that case? I'm ignoring power levels and whatnot because I want there to be some kind of threat. I want the cast of RWBY to at least stand a chance of defending themselves.**

 **I also never stated that Ozpin was more powerful than Gohan. I just implied that he might at least challenge him in his base form. You learn from this chapter the obvious gap in power. You're trying to apply logic to a story where I've had to blatantly ignore that same logic in order to try and tell a compelling story.**

 **I feel like Humans in Remnant would have more potential than the Humans in DB because they have aura and semblances, but that's just purely my opinion and an aspect that this story works off.**

 **Goku Black SSR:**

 **Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like the story. Character development is something I am trying to focus on and practice for when I eventually write my own original series. If characters don't develop, then the story won't go anywhere. Don't worry, I'm not giving up this story. I'm way too invested and have written far too much to abandon this ship now.**

 **Guest - the one that wrote the two long reviews:**

 **Unsure where you are getting the idea that I'm going to use Super concepts in this story. Sorry to say that God Ki will not play any part in this story. For your power level complaints, refer to the other guest review response.**

 **Jackalope89:**

 **Yeah, I will admit. It's cringy. Even now after the rewrite of the scenes, it's still pretty bad. Better than it was before though. I lost quite a lot of followers from that chapter, so I assume it's probably because of this reason. Gohan knew it was Qrow because his energy felt similar.**

 **REQUIEMCROSS:**

 **Ozpin needs them to keep it a secret from as many people as possible because 1.) there are spies around Beacon. 2.) He wants the least amount of people to know about this power as possible. And 3.) No one was going to know they had these powers if he sent them on this mission. I don't see how that would be an issue.**

 **Why let the girls come along indeed. It was obvious by this chapter that Gohan had made a mistake accepting their help. They got hurt and almost died. It was a mistake on his part. And before you go and say "Gohan is much smarter than that," consider the following.**

 **What destroyed that town was unknown at the time of chapter five. Gohan had no grounds to make a correct decision. He had no proof that it was androids. He had no proof that it wouldn't be androids. As far as he's concerned, what happened there was a complete mystery to him. It could have been Grimm. It could have been anything.**

 **Also Future Gohan took Trunks along to fight Androids 17 and 18 in future timeline of canon. How is this any different?**

 **He had no reason to say no because these girls are training to become the world's protectors. If he had said "no guys it's too dangerous," they probably would have gotten angry because they are the ones risking their lives by training to become Huntsman to begin with. It would have been kind of an insult for him to say it's too dangerous for them.**

 **That being said, he was placed in a position where there wasn't really a right answer to make.**

 **Why is the Lookout visible? Well, Gohan isn't capable of creating alternative dimensions that can hold a Lookout suspended in air. This Lookout is much different. It's basically an impossibly high tower with the platform sitting on top of it. That was as believable as I could make it.**

 **Before I rewrote the scene, the Lookout was floating, but I changed it.**

 **Again, for power level complaints, refer to the first review response. I'm buffing RWBY characters, not nerfing Gohan. I hate nerfing.**

 **Blinded in a bolthole:**

 **I agree with your first three points. The Nora calling Pyrrha an Amazon warrior was a typo. I was editing and wasn't really reading properly. I don't like characters names appearing multiple times in the same paragraph/sentence. I changed it accidentally. I fixed this as soon as you reviewed so don't worry.**

 **I don't think I gave Gohan the clothes beam? Unless you're referring to the fact that he changed the matter of the materials he wanted to use to build the Lookout. That's just a technique he picked up from Piccolo. (My excuse for it anyway, and an attempt to justify why he can do it.) Gohan won't be capable the Namekian magic kind of stuff. An honest mistake that won't happen again.**

 **Multiple other reviewers with the same question:**

 **This is a single pairing story. [Gohan X Yang]. Possible Blake X Sun. Pyrrha X Jaune (definitely). Renora, and maybe… just MAYBE… I might consider doing WhiteRose. I don't like harems. No thank you. Done with Harem stories. Read to many of them.**

* * *

 **Alright, lads and lasses. That's chapter six. Next is the recovery chapter and the start of Season 3. So strap in for those of you who are still with me and prepare for a story that I hope will give you the thrill you are looking for.**

 **See you next time!**


	7. Restoration of the Soul

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys! What's up? It's been a busy April for me. I've been hard at work with University Papers and studying for my upcoming Exams! I totally wasn't playing games… Anyway, here is the new chapter. Now, I have to admit, this one took a _very_ long time to rework and rewrite.**

 **Let's start off by saying that Chapter Six ended differently to what my prewriting had determined. Ever since the start of the story, whenever I've posted chapters, I made sure to go back and add more scenes and more content for you guys to read. I want to make sure that I really hit the mark with this story. I want the characters to grow, learn and develop, and by adding more scenes, it allows this to happen. So the reason why Chapter Seven has taken this long is because all those changes finally added up and demanded a _heavy_ revision of this chapter.**

 **Trust me, there is not one scene in this chapter that I didn't have to rework. Most of them are just straight up brand new. I had my work cut out for me, and this is the longest chapter yet! It's almost _too_ long!**

 **I want to give a huge shout out to Sid89 and Cruzerblade for Beta reading and editing this chapter for me. Without their help, this chapter would probably be stuck in editing-hell. Both of them have given up their time to help improve the chapter quality, so a huge shout out to them. The reason for this is because Dmoose18 has been extremely busy with real life responsibilities and working with Xman on Power Within, so being the amazing person I am, I let this Chapter slide by him. He will be back for Chapter Eight though.**

 **I also want to thank you guys for your overwhelming support for this story so far. Seriously. Not even five months and this story is already climbing to be one of the better DBZ crossovers in the section, and with RWBY no less. I wasn't expecting nearly the amount of support I've gotten, so thank you guys!**

 **Don't forget, we do have a Discord server! RWBY/DBZ Fanfiction: discord. gg/JrnKzyx**

 **If it doesn't work, don't be afraid to PM me. I'll create an invite for you. If you do decide to join, please follow the rules :)**

 **Okay, I've done my speel. On with the story!**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Restoration of the Soul

It was like history was repeating itself.

Once again he found himself standing in a ruined town while the rain poured down around him. Clothes lay scattered throughout the streets, the ghosts of the innocents screaming obscenities at him, their voices echoing in his mind. He bit down on the guilt, scolding himself for letting this happen to the people of this planet. They didn't deserve this. They had enough problems with the Grimm.

"I'm too late... _again_."

Why was he always too late to save them? Why was it that he could never save at least one person? The crushing memories of arriving at a desolate city, only to be greeted by the same, soulless eyes of the Androids. It was the same story over and over again. He'd arrive just moments too late; fight the Androids and then barely escape.

He was so sick of this same old story.

Anger coursed through his veins as his thoughts drifted to Cell. The murderous bio-android didn't care for the lives he so carelessly snuffed out. All he cared about was reaching his _perfect evolution_. The mere words made Gohan feel sick. How much stronger could that insect get? He already seemed to have the power of all his father's friends, family and even himself!

His fists tightened as a mental image of a desolate Remnant appeared in his mind. Cities, merely echoes of what they once were. Mirroring the fates of the cities and towns he had failed back on Earth. Small sparks of aqua electricity sparked at ambiguous intervals around his body… threatening to blow at the slightest provocation.

His spiky blonde hair was sodden; his drenched clothes sticking to his body as he stood impossibly still, glaring at the destroyed town around him. The people had put up a fight here, but ultimately, they befell the same fate as the rest of them. Cell was far too powerful to be opposed. He was the only one with a chance in Hell of stopping that bloodthirsty monster.

He couldn't sense the monster at all. He was hiding from him, and for good reason too. Gohan knew he was stronger than Cell, however if left unchecked and unchallenged, the monster would continue to absorb innocent people as he sought the power he desired. It would only be a matter of time before the creation of Gero became too strong for him to handle.

" _I'll find you…_ " his thoughts dripped with hatred. Images of Yang lying in the hospital fueled his motivation and anger to do so. However, just before he took off to follow the trail that Cell had left behind, a familiar energy made itself known behind him. Gohan turned his head as the older man touched down.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the man asked. Gohan's face was stuck with a dark, black, fear inducing scowl.

"Finding Cell," the half-Saiyan replied simply. He tensed as the atmosphere around them grew colder. "I have to do this Qrow. This is my responsibility," the teenager half-Saiyan responded. The drunkard huntsman let out a bitter chuckle as he gazed at the desolate surroundings, painting a picture of death and decay. It was as if the apocalypse had come knocking early.

"Yeah. Fat lotta good you're doing right now," he shot back rather angrily. Qrow wasn't in the least bit happy. His oldest niece was in hospital, and his youngest was busy trying to keep her team together while sorting out her own problems. Ruby was a mess, but she was slowly starting to cope with the sudden increase of responsibility of being a team leader.

Gohan slowly turned around to face Qrow, an angry, clouded look on his face. The older Huntsman could see a familiar look in the teenager's eyes. A broken look… one of desperation and rage. It didn't suit him. Someone his age shouldn't have that dark glint in their eyes.

"Cell is out there _killing_ people! You want me to just give up and-"

"Why don't you just shut up and let me talk?" Qrow cut him off with a dangerous edge to his voice. The son of Goku wanted to retort, but the vicious look in those crimson eyes warned him that he'd be better off holding his tongue.

"You think I don't care?" the man continued. "That _bastard_ of a monster put my oldest niece in the hospital. If anyone should be angry, it's ME!" Qrow snapped viciously. Gohan opened his mouth to respond, but a simple glare from Qrow under this dark, raining atmosphere told him that it wasn't a good idea to get on the man's bad side.

"Regardless, I know better," Qrow continued. "People are going to die. That's just a fact. Chasing shadows and trails isn't helping anyone! Did you ever stop to think that you chasing after him is _exactly_ what he wants? Stop and think about it for a minute before you run off and stupidly get _yourself_ killed," Qrow growled. Gohan was rather stumped at his tone.

"Cell said he was looking for power sources to push along his evolution right?" the drunkard huntsman asked. Gohan merely looked at him, his lack of reacting proving that Qrow was right. "So imagine for a second that possibly the strongest being on the planet is chasing after him. I don't know about you, but if I were him? I would be waiting for the perfect opportunity, for the moment you let your guard down," he explained.

Gohan had to admit it. Qrow had a point. While Cell did already have his DNA inside of him, what was stopping Cell from absorbing _him_? Should he let his guard down even for a moment, it would create an opening for Cell to absorb him. He'd be practically sealing Remnant's fate. Without his power, Remnant would be doomed.

"You're the only one strong enough to fight this thing head on. So why don't you stop throwing away the one chance we might have to actually beat this thing and come back to Vale so we can actually prepare for the next time we _actually_ confront him?" the male Branwen suggested, his tone slightly lower and more understanding.

"How can I?" the boy muttered as his eyes drifted to his hands. He could visualize all the blood spilled by the Androids and Cell covering his hands. It was his fault! How could he just let a monster like that roam free? "I can't just let him go on… all the lives that will be lost… the Kingdoms…" Gohan's hands clenched so hard they started to draw blood.

"Ozpin's going to put out a message to all the all the towns and villages outside the Kingdoms to vacate to the nearest Kingdom. Cell's not stupid. He won't attack a Kingdom until he's strong enough to know that he can match you. He'll stick to the outer towns and villages. They are easy prey," Qrow explained. That didn't help the half-Saiyan's mental state at all.

"How can you _know_ that?" the son of Goku asked. Qrow's eyes merely narrowed.

"I _don't_ , but I've spent most of my life fighting things that I barely understand. If there is one thing I'd like to pride myself in knowing, it's how murderers and criminals think. Cell knows if he attacks a Kingdom, he won't be able to escape in time before you find him. The only reason you are missing him is because the towns he attacks are small enough for him to absorb and move on before you get there," the drunkard elaborated.

The student of Piccolo couldn't decide on what to do. He knew he had to find Cell and destroy him, but this venture to find him was proving to be fruitless. It really showed just how incompetent he really was when it came to defending people. Not only that, but what Qrow was saying really stuck to him. The wise older huntsman had a fair point. Right now, he was the only one that could combat Cell, and him being out here was risking that chance.

A hand landed on his shoulder. For a brief moment, when Gohan looked up, he could have sworn he had seen his old, green mentor standing there with a fiercely proud look on his face. That brief image vanished in a flash of light as Qrow stood in his place, that _very_ same look in his eyes. He had the look of a man who refused to give up. No matter what happened.

"Do the right thing, and stop trying to wage this stupid one man war. You'll just get yourself killed kid," Qrow warned. Gohan's hands were shaking with anger. However, the older man's words were something that he knew he should listen to. If not, then he'd be making the same mistake he had made all those years ago.

" _I'm sorry Piccolo… I'm so sorry,_ " a lone tear dripped down Gohan's cheek, but it was washed away by the rain. The day Piccolo had died had been the day his rage had broken, but that rage _still_ hadn't been enough to overcome the Androids… so why would it help him here? He was acting on emotion... the same emotion that had gotten his mentor killed.

" _I can't… I can't let this rage control me again…_ " he thought as he looked up at Qrow. Fear crept into his eyes. It seemed like no matter what action he took, people were going to end up getting hurt regardless. The inevitable fate that he hadn't come to accept yet.

"You're… right," the half-Saiyan let his body relax. His dark scowl shifted to a more passive and fearful look that Qrow was all too familiar with. People, regardless of strength were terrified with the idea of making mistakes. It seemed that Gohan was no exception to this.

" _I'm sorry,_ it's just... I can't stand to see history _repeat_ itself. I _won't_ let it happen again," the young teen swore. Qrow noted his conviction. He had never heard such heartfelt words come out of a teenager's mouth like that. Gohan was really trying to stop something bad from happening, and for that he couldn't fault the boy. However, he was still acting on emotions. That was something Qrow could not condone.

Acting on emotion was something he knew from experience to be detrimental.

"Yeah… now let's head back to Vale and talk about how we are going to fix this problem," Qrow stated as he took to the air. Gohan nodded as he powered down. His hair returning to onyx black, and the golden glow around his body shimmering and disappearing.

The two turned and flew off back in the direction of Vale, completely oblivious to the pair of blood red eyes that watched them from a distant treeline with curious, but intrigued expressions. It seemed that she was discovering more things that were being hidden from her than she had originally thought.

" **How very interesting…** " the woman mused as the rain continued to pour. A shadow appeared behind her and immediately kneeled before the strange woman.

"Mistress. We have received the latest blueprints from Atlas… but these ones are quite strange. _He_ said that they were upgrade schematics? I'm not sure I understand… is _he_ not strong enough already?" the shadowy figure asked. The woman turned around to address her feminine shadowy messenger. A small smile graced her face.

"Oh hush my dear…" the woman ran a few fingers down the side of the messenger's face. Traces of fear and anxiety suddenly made itself present on the submissive's face. "There is no such thing as being _strong enough_ … because," the woman turned and paused as she looked back towards the sky where the two people she had been observing had flown off.

" **The weak perish, while the strong survive,** "

* * *

The first thing that Blake noticed was the familiarity of her ceiling as her eyes creaked open. More specifically, the ceiling of team RWBY's dorm. She immediately tried to sit up, and regretted the action. An unimaginable amount of pain shot through her midsection, causing her to wince. She bit down, clenching her teeth as a hiss exited her mouth.

" _Oh God… I'm still alive,_ " her thoughts were a mess. The last thing she remembered was having her stomach get practically flattened. It was a miracle she was still breathing. A short look around the room told her that she was alone, on her bunk bed, all tucked up and safe under the covers. She wanted nothing more than to sink back down into them and go back to sleep, but she had to figure out what happened.

Groaning she pushed herself out of bed. She let her legs dangle over the side of her bunk bed. She wiggled her toes just to make sure she could still feel them. Her chest and abdomen were in a lot of pain, but thankfully now that she was awake she could start using her aura to really focus on healing the damaged area.

" _How did I get back here? Did we defeat Cell?_ " she thought. The chilling image of Cell laughing inside of her mind reverberated off the walls of her head. His insane laughter taunted her and haunted her. Her body went cold as phantom pain made her current pain even worse. The mere thought of the monster was enough to make her shiver in fear.

" _And just when I thought Adam was bad enough…_ Cell _is a million times worse._ " her thoughts were in chaos, so for the next few minutes she opted to organise them and relax herself. She was safe here in Beacon for the time being, but she knew the terrifying power that Cell held. He could tear through Vale and murder just about everyone in the Kingdom if he so wished.

Beacon wouldn't be able to stop him.

After a few moments, she decided it was best to use her energy to float down to the floor rather than drop down. Her feet had pins and needles, and landing so abruptly would no doubt cause her more pain and discomfort than she was willing to deal with at the moment.

Floating down and touching the floor, she let out a sigh as her body seemed comfortable with carrying its own weight. It was a good start. At least her body was functional, which was a good thing, because she _really_ needed to go to the bathroom. So she walked over to the bathroom and pushed it open, the door creaking as she did so.

As she walked in, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She almost flinched in horror at her reflection. She looked absolutely _awful_. Bags under her eyes; her hair was a mess and her cat ears were out for all to see. She groaned as she walked over to the basin and splashed cold water over her face. It woke her up and refreshed her a little.

Lifting her shirt, she decided she wanted to examine the damage that had been inflicted upon her being. When she saw the damage, she didn't react at all. It wasn't that bad, but she could have imagined how it had looked when it first started swelling. Her entire mid-section was wrapped in bandages. They weren't soaked in blood at least, but a small peak under the bandages showed her the injury was slowly healing.

" _Damn… I feel like crap, but I seem to be healing much quicker than I usually do… does it have something to do with my energy?_ " she thought as she removed her shirt entirely. She unhooked her bra and removed all articles of clothing until she was completely naked. She didn't really mind, she was planning on having a hot shower anyway.

She flinched as she gave her injury a small press. She could still feel the cracks in her ribs. A curious frown spread across her face. The sheer force and power behind the blow was enough for her ribs to crack and practically shatter outright. Had her aura breaking softened the blow? Surely the attack by Cell would have killed her, but it seemed that her aura managed to take most of the damage before it reached her body.

" _That **thing** destroyed my aura in a single hit…_ " she recalled, the memory replayed over in her head. Her whole body shuddered, remembering the force behind the blow. The phantom pains issued by the memory almost made her sick. " _That's... **terrifying.**_ "

The fact that there was something out there capable of breaking through a huntsman's aura in a single blow was nothing short of chilling. If that thing were a Grimm, scientists would be trying to pull together all the data they could find in the hopes of finding a weakness to exploit. Huntsman had every right to fear a being like that. Aura was their shield from the Grimm. That monster was something much than a Grimm could ever dream to be.

 _He didn't seem to have any weaknesses._

Another terrifying thought, in which she did not welcome.

"Okay Blake… shower time," she mused out loud. She removed the bandages slowly and then stepped under the hot water. A feeling of revitalization surged through her, giving her the strength needed to stand there and withstand the hot water pounding on her stomach. While she was in the shower, her thoughts drifted, providing her with momentary tranquility.

What was she going to do now? With the threat of Cell looming over her, she had no idea where to direct her focus. It _had_ been on the White Fang and Roman Torchwick, but since the man was now behind bars, she didn't concern herself much with his fate. However, Adam and the White Fang were still skulking around Vale doing god knows what.

Now this?

" _What am I supposed to do?_ " she wondered. She had no idea where to focus her priorities. Should she pursue the White Fang and Adam? Or should she worry about Cell? The monster who could seemingly wipe everyone off the face of the planet. In hindsight, the answer was probably obvious, but the White Fang held sentimental value to her.

As she turned off the shower and ran a hand through her sodden wet hair, a knock at the bathroom door made her jump slightly.

"Blake!? Are you in there?" a high pitched, concerned voice called out. For once, Blake was actually relieved to hear the voice of Ruby Rose. The girl had a heart of gold. She cared about absolutely everyone, and fought for what was right. She desired to be a hero, and regardless how idealistic it was, Blake couldn't help but admire Ruby. The girl followed and listened to her heart.

"Yes Ruby. I'm in here, and for the record, I'm feeling a bit better," Blake called back. A sigh of relief was heard from the other side of the door, making the corners of Blake's mouth curve upwards into a small smile. It was rather heart warming that her well-being brought such concern to her friends.

"Oh thank goodness! We were soooooo worried about you!" she called back. Blake removed one of the towels from the rack and began drying herself.

"I'm fine Ruby. Thanks for the concern. I'll be out in a minute," she retorted. Ruby acknowledged and turned to talk to another person in the room who Blake could only assume was either Weiss or Yang. As she dried herself and got changed into a clean set of clothes, Blake exited the bathroom to find two of her teammates sitting quietly on their respective bunk beds. While they looked happy to see her awake and moving around, there was an obvious elephant in the room.

"Guys…?" Blake asked as she looked around for the bubbly, friendly blonde that seemed to be missing in action. "Where's Yang?"

A few seconds was all it took for Ruby's happy mood to plummet, and for Weiss's face to drop into an emotionless void. Blake could only assume the worst had occurred.

" _Oh god_ no…"

* * *

"This _sucks._ "

It was clearly evident that Yang was not having a good time. She was stuck in the hospital with no one to talk to and she had only just woken up. She had no idea how much time had passed, but considering that the hole in her stomach had been stitched up and her aura was healing it with astounding speed, she could only assume it had been either two or three days.

She was left to lull over her thoughts as the irritating silence bothered her. Thankfully she figured out how to work the television, but after watching countless news reports on what had gone on at Newville town, she turned it off in obvious anger. The mere thought of Cell confused her emotions to the brink that it made her angry just thinking about the bug.

But it also _terrified_ her.

She didn't know how to feel about him, and the monster had almost killed her. She couldn't even close her eyes without seeing his disgusting, twisted face as he stabbed her over and over in her stomach, sucking the life from her cold… dead body. She would flinch with phantom pains whenever it happened. It made her angry that she was reacting this way.

A knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts.

"Ms. Xiao Long, can we come in?" the voice of Ozpin was unmistakable. Yang sighed.

"Please _do,_ " she practically begged. She needed to talk to someone to take her mind off things. She needed someone to talk and off-load onto. Right now she was drowning in her own terror and anger. A strange mixture to be trapped inside of, but nonetheless uncomfortable and displeasurable. She turned her head as the door opened.

The first person to enter was none other than her father. He rushed to her side and practically smothered her in attention and love. While she loved her father, she was still seventeen years old, and any seventeen-year-old girl regardless of what had happened to her, required their own personal space. However, Taiyang didn't seem to see it her way.

"Hey… daaaaaa-aaaad," she exhaled as the man practically squeezed the air out of her. He let go when he realized he was crushing her with a sheepish smile on his face.

"I am _so_ relieved that my Sunny Little Dragon is safe and sound…" he exhaled in a more serious manner. Yang rolled her eyes at the nickname. It wasn't like she hated the nickname her dad had come up with. It was more the fact that he still treated her like a princess when she was anything but!

She had grabbed Junior by the balls once. Do princesses do that?

No.

"I'm fine dad. Just a little... shaken up," she stated honestly. Ozpin walked up and stood at the foot of her bed. The wise headmaster looked concerned and careful. There was a modicum of care in his eyes, and she could tell that the man had been plagued by guilt for even asking them to go on that mission. She wasn't about to start by berating the man. It looked like he had enough problems on his shoulders already.

"Yes… we were informed by Qrow what _trials_ you were put through. I cannot apologize enough for sending you into such a dangerous situation without knowing more about what you would be facing," Ozpin bowed his head in a professional, but apologetic manner. Yang just sighed tiredly.

"No… professor, really. It's fine," Yang stated. Taiyang was a little bit shocked at her response.

"Yang…" he started, but a saddened look by Yang stopped him. She turned back to Ozpin with a surprisingly accepting look on her face. This was not like Yang. The experience had clearly changed the way she viewed life and its many dangers.

"I honestly think you made the best decision. Thinking about it now… if you had sent _anyone else,_ they would have died. I'm lucky to be alive, but I made a _really_ stupid mistake. If I had been…" Yang trailed off as she leaned back into her bed. She knew she was lucky to be alive. Any other situation like that and she probably would have bit the dust early.

Gohan had saved her life in the last second before she lost consciousness.

She couldn't believe how stupid she had been to challenge Cell like that. He was miles above her in every possible way… but her reasoning and logic was clouded by so much rage after seeing Blake get hurt that she couldn't stop herself. She had practically gift wrapped herself and handed it to Cell, and he had been more than happy to accept the generous offer.

"I still have a lot to learn," she corrected herself. Taiyang watched his daughter carefully. It was as if he were analysing every single word she had spoken. Her father was one of the nicest men she ever knew. But after losing two lovers, she was surprised the man could be so supportive and strong-willed. She couldn't imagine how tough it had been to raise two children on his own.

"I fell into my habits. I relied on my Semblance to save Blake and myself… but… _my God_ I was so _wrong,_ " a few tears started to form in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away as she recounted the fight with Cell. He had taught her many things from that sheer encounter alone. His power dwarfed hers and just about everyone there except for Gohan.

"You do have a habit of throwing temper tantrums to win your battles," Taiyang chuckled rather bitterly. Yang had to smile at that. It was the bittersweet truth. Before she had met Gohan, she had gone into most fights knowing that whatever her opponents hit her with, she would come back and hit them twice as hard. That was what her semblance allowed her to do.

However, with someone like Cell?

Someone who didn't need to hit you more than _once_ to probably cripple you. She couldn't hope to rely on her semblance in those kind of fights. It wouldn't do any good there. She would just be throwing her life away, and it took a near death experience at the hands of a monster to realize this. She looked up at Ozpin.

"Professor… this… _monster,_ " echoes of the creature's laugh echoed off the walls of her head. Her hands started shaking as her heartbeat started to accelerate dangerously. Her heart rate monitor showed this clearly, and the moment it picked up the increase of speed, the headmaster's eyes narrowed dangerously as Yang tried to force the words out of her mouth.

"How do we beat something like _that?_ " she asked. Ozpin was silent. He could tell Yang wasn't done talking. She looked at her hands as Taiyang rested his own hand on hers in an attempt to comfort his daughter. "He… took Blake out effortlessly!" she exclaimed. The headmaster narrowed his eyes as she continued.

"I know we're not the best, and that we are only first years but… _still!_ Not even uncle Qrow would be able to beat Blake like that. It would at least last longer than _a few seconds_. He hit her and her aura shattered like _glass!_ " Yang exclaimed once more. Her voice was becoming more erratic as the laughter of the monster inside her head grew.

"She's not dead… is she?" Yang asked, on the brim of tears. Ozpin shook his head.

"Ms. Belladonna is expected to make a full recovery. She was moved out of the hospital this morning and back to her dorm room at Beacon. I expect she is awake and conversing with both Ms. Rose and Ms. Schnee," Ozpin explained. He was happy to at least see Yang calm down a bit after hearing that. A look of minor relief crossed the blonde's face.

"What about the others?" she asked. Ozpin nodded.

"Both Qrow and Gohan are fine. Ms. Nikos, while uninjured, is struggling to comprehend what happened. She is going through heavy counselling with Professor Goodwitch as we speak," he informed her. Another look of relief crossed the blonde's face. At least no one had died. That brought her some comfort.

"And Cell?" she asked. The headmaster merely sighed.

"From what I am told, he managed to escape shortly after an engagement with Gohan. His whereabouts are… unknown," the silver haired headmaster responded curtly. The look on Yang's face was intriguing to the older headmaster. He could see anger burning in her eyes, but at the same time, there was unrestrained fear and terror reflected in them.

"I see… at least… no one died," she exhaled. Ozpin cleared his throat.

"The doctors who worked on you have cleared you to leave tomorrow morning. They also expect you to make a full recovery based on the rate your aura is healing you," the man commented. Taiyang raised an eyebrow at this. It was no secret that Yang seemed to heal faster than most of her peers back when she used to participate in mock battles.

But she had just taken a life threatening injury. Surely she would be stuck in here for at least another week…

"My aura…?" she questioned. Ozpin nodded.

"It seems that you're injury was healing much faster than any of the doctors or nurses predicted. The recovery time was shortened exponentially. They believe it might have something to do with your semblance, or the nature of your aura," the headmaster explained.

"That is certainly quite strange," Taiyang commented. Yang's eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah… strange," she trailed off. Ozpin smiled.

"Get some rest Yang," he spoke. The use of her first name slightly surprised her. He had always referred to her as Ms. Xiao Long. To her the headmaster take such a personal approach seemed rather… strange. "I'm sure your team is looking forward to your return tomorrow," Ozpin finished as he turned around to leave the room. Taiyang gave Yang a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving the room as well.

Yang gave a weak wave as she watched the two men leave. Her thoughts lingering on what Ozpin had said.

" _Accelerated healing? What gives? That doesn't sound anything like my aura or my Semblance…_ " she mused in her thoughts. On that note, she decided it would be best to heed the advice the headmaster's advice.

Lord knows she needed it after what she had just been through.

* * *

Walking out of the third session with Glynda Goodwitch, Pyrrha could honestly say that it wasn't helping. The nightmares refused to leave her, and it was because of these nightmares that she refused to return to the JNPR dorm room. She couldn't sleep there with the insomnia that plagued her relentlessly.

Instead, she opted to remain on the Lookout.

It was the only place she felt safe. Being so high up in the sky and away from the chaotic Grimm and the murderous criminals, Pyrrha could let her mind wander. However, that was soon interrupted when Gohan and Qrow arrived back in Vale. The Lookout was the first place they had returned to. When she arrived there, she found herself interrupting a conversation Gohan and Qrow were having.

"Pyrrha!" Gohan called out as he approached her. She still had that distant look in her eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked carefully. She shook her head slowly as her lips quivered. It was tough enough for her to deal with all the death that had surrounded the town, but seeing that man being _absorbed_ right in front of her…

Seeing Blake and Yang almost die right in front of her.

It left marks deep within her that she was desperately trying to forget and bury, but that was proving more difficult than she ever could have thought. It seemed that witnessing a traumatic event really did leave metaphysical wounds that would require counseling and heavy rehabilitation to remove. She had no idea how Blake and Yang were coping.

"That is a question I have been asking myself too often lately…" she chuckled mirthlessly. Gohan smiled weakly and gave her a small pat on the shoulder. The poor girl looked like she needed comfort more than anything else. The two walked back over to Qrow, where the older drunkard gave the girl a sympathetic look.

"You holdin' up alright?" he asked. Pyrrha gave a weak nod as she steeled her nerves and spoke up.

"I actually came up here to get some training in. Ever since that fight, I can't keep my mind off how _weak_ I am. If I'm going to help combat this threat, I need to be stronger…" she turned to Gohan, who wore a more serious expression on his features than she was used to seeing.

"Do you want to train with me?" Gohan asked. Pyrrha nodded vigorously. She wasn't going to turn down this offer, and besides… it was as they always said; 'you only get stronger by fighting those who are better than you.' It was a rule she had lived by her entire life, and it held merit. She had surpassed all of her teachers back in Sanctum using this.

If she were to fight against Gohan, there was no doubt in her mind that she would make strides in no time.

" _Please._ I see no other way of pushing myself when it comes to this power. I feel like you are the only one who can properly teach me how to fight with this newfound strength," she explained. The half-Saiyan nodded in understanding. The more you fought against stronger opponents, the stronger you got.

"How adept are you at martial arts?" he asked. Pyrrha's eyebrows furrowed as she thought back, recalling her training under various arts. She was by no means a master at any of them, but she was taught how to use most styles with precision and adeptness. She wasn't a slouch in them, and she was certainly no beginner.

"I am no stranger to hand to hand combat," she replied. Gohan nodded, a look of understanding on his face.

"That should be good enough. Now… here's the important question," he shifted into a stance as a white aura flared around him. Qrow took a few steps back with a smirk on his face. It seemed like Gohan was taking his advice. Building himself a group of friends that would have his back no matter what. Pyrrha looked like she was ready to give it her all.

"Do you want the easy path, or the hard path?" he asked. She frowned as she disregarded her weapons. She levitated them and placed them down next to Qrow. She also shifted into a stance, one that had a few errors, but was still good enough for Gohan to give her a small smirk.

"I've never been one to ask for the easy route Gohan. I think that answers your question," she responded. As she finished his energy intensified and his power skyrocketed, almost blowing her away in the process. She steeled herself, using her own power to try and anchor herself to the spot. She looked up at his glowing form. He hadn't transformed, so at least he wasn't going to brutalize her.

"Alright then… don't say I didn't warn you!" he launched at her, signifying that the training had started. She grit her teeth as his power overflowed from his body. She raised her arms to block his attack, but found that he had slipped from her vision easily. In an instant he was behind her. Her eyes widened as she was knocked off balance and kicked away.

This was going to be painful.

No pain no gain after all.

Now was the time more than ever that she had to be the best.

Now she had a _reason_ to try and stand above her peers. She needed to protect them.

She'd be their shield.

" _I won't fail!_ "

* * *

The more she tried to sleep, the more she got aggravated that she was still stuck in this hospital until the morning. She couldn't wait to get back to her team and start training again. She needed to make sure that this injury didn't hold her back, but at the same time… she needed to get over the fact that being killed by Cell was a very real threat.

It was very late at night, or extremely early in the morning because Yang's eyes had to adjust to the darkness of the room she was in. The only light that was around the room was the steady and consistent flashing of the hospital equipment, but that wasn't what was interrupting her sleep. No matter what she did, she could _not_ get her mind off Cell.

" _Damnit…_ " she cursed internally. Any time she closed her eyes and managed to descend into the realm of sleep, the monster would be there, waiting for her. It's giant wriggling tail ready to stab her and suck her dry of life and power. She'd wake up in a cold sweat every time it happened. It was exhausting having to go through this over and over again.

She lay on her back and gazed towards the ceiling with glazed eyes. She couldn't sleep and the frustration of her exhaustion was building. She closed her eyes briefly and opened them again, but this time there was something not quite right about the room she was in. It piqued her interest a bit as she looked around the room. She noticed something quite… peculiar.

The window was open.

" _I don't remember that being… open?_ " she frowned briefly and sat up, ignoring the slight pain in her mid-section. Her scar was healing nicely and after a couple of days in the hospital, she expected to be back in her top form. However, she didn't expect to heal so quickly. This wasn't on her mind however, what she was concerned about, was how the window seemingly opened by itself.

"Urg… I must be imagining things. How bored can one be?" the blonde wondered out loud. She turned her head to lie back down on the bed, but froze when her eyes landed upon a being that was not previously in the room. The shadow before her was big… green. Instinctively she raised her hands and closed her eyes, tensing up as fear encompassed her entire body.

" _Oh god! It's Cell!_ " she screamed internally, with fear taking control of her body. However no pain came. Instead, she opened her eyes again to see a different figure sitting down on a guest chair. It was much smaller, and Yang could make out that the figure was wearing some kind of white mask, akin to that of the Grimm. She narrowed her eyes, fear still coursing through her body.

The figure was clearly feminine. She wore red and black plated armour, and had long jet-black spiky hair and had glowing, blood red eyes. She had her legs crossed, looking at the bedridden girl with curiosity and a little bit of amusement. She was as still as a statue, that is, until she changed legs and crossed the other one over the other.

"Hello Yang," the voice was terrifyingly familiar to the blonde. It was almost like she _should_ know this voice. It spoke with such familiarity that Yang couldn't help but feel the cold chill of terror crawl up her spine. She hesitantly opened her mouth to respond, but found that no words came out. Why was she filled with such… _dread?_

"Are you not going to greet me?" the woman asked. Yang's eyebrows furrowed.

"W-Who are you?" the blonde asked. The woman chuckled slightly. It was low and stricken with underlying intent. Yang had no idea who this female was, but her body and mind were screaming at her that she should know. The energy signature that Yang was reading from this woman was enormous. It was bigger than her uncle's, and it felt very… _very,_ dark.

"My apologies," the woman spoke again, as she lifted her hands up to remove the white mask. As it clicked and lifted off her face, the moonlight hit the window, lighting up the room in an ominous fluorescent glow. The light gleamed off the stranger's pale complexion and fair skin. She had a mischievous smirk on her face. Yang could have sworn she was looking in a mirror.

"My name is Raven Branwen."

And just like that, Yang's world seemed to freeze around her. In a twist of cruel irony, it was not she who found her mother, but the other way round. Raven Branwen, the woman who abandoned her and her father. The fiery blonde knew the name of her mother, but never an image or a frame of reference. She had no memory of the woman, but here she was.

Sitting right in front of her, like what she did, didn't even matter.

For the first time in her life, Yang was actually _confused_ on how to emotionally react to this sudden meeting. The obvious, bubbling feeling in her gut was anger. Her eyes immediately changed to blood red, mirroring the woman in front of her. However, there was sudden intrigue which caused her to remain where she was and not leap out of bed to strangle the woman in front of her.

Her expression drifted into one that oozed with venom.

" _You…_ " the daughter practically spat. Raven Branwen had no visible reaction.

"Yes. _Me,_ " she replied, a glint of amusement in her crimson eyes. Her daughter's glare seemingly had the opposite effect. Though she was curious as to why Yang hadn't already leapt out of bed and tried to kill her. Yang merely stared at the woman, with her own blood red eyes. The blondes hair started to shimmer from the heat as little snippets of flame danced off the ends of of her golden blonde tresses.

There was a few moments of silence, until the older woman broke it.

"You know," Raven started. "When you were born, I wanted to call you Cheshire. You had the brightest, mischievous smile, but Tai didn't think it suited you," she stated. Yang wasn't even close to being amused. In fact, the blonde didn't really appreciate the idea that the woman before her seemed to be trying to start a casual conversation.

"So you abandoned me because you didn't get to name me? And here I thought my birth mother had some kind of moral backbone, despite leaving both myself, and dad behind," Yang growled. Raven rolled her eyes.

"You wound me with you _venomous_ words."

"I want to do more than wound you, _bitch._ "

"You're _adorable_ when you're angry."

Yang could do nothing but sit there and bicker with the woman who left her behind. Why hadn't she gotten up and tried to kill the woman yet? Well, she was still trying to figure that out herself, but maybe it had something to do with the fact that this woman would probably do serious damage to her by the time she even tried to move the covers off her body. Raven didn't look like somebody who messed around.

" _Why_ are you even here?" Yang bit back her anger. The woman shifted her posture into a more comfortable position before answering the question.

"Can't a mother come and see her child?" Raven asked with a mocking tone. Yang gripped the bedsheets so hard that her nails actually tore through the fabric. This woman had the gall to sit there and talk like that? To mock her for asking such a simple question? To Hell with this _damn_ woman!

"I _hate_ you," Yang growled with genuine hate. Raven's smirk dropped a little at that remark.

"I would expect nothing less. I was not joking when I said that I wanted to see you," Raven countered with an more serious expression on her face. "You may not realize, but I made you a promise before I left you. I promised that if you were ever in danger, I would save you… _but only once,_ " she continued. Yang couldn't help but feel more hatred towards the woman for even saying that. Her nails were starting to dig into her skin.

"Well would you look at that? The mother that abandoned her child couldn't even fulfill the one promise she made to that child. I bet you feel proud of yourself-" she was cut off by a sword pointed directly at her throat. She had only blinked and the woman had moved faster than she had realized. Yang could see hurt and anger in Raven's eyes.

"How _dare_ you patronize me," her voice was low and brittle. Yang took note of the slight shaking of the sword. Was it possible that… she actually _did_ care about her? She quickly dismissed the thought because of the absurdity. However, it wouldn't be the first time that thought would occur to her during this meeting.

"You have absolutely _no_ idea what kind of sacrifices I've had to make to ensure the people I care about _stay alive,_ " she hissed. The sword was quickly removed from Yang's throat and sheathed back into the holder that she had removed it from. Yang took another note of the weapon she was carrying. It looked quite strange. In some ways, it reminded her of Weiss's weapon.

"Are you here to justify your seventeen-year absence from my life? Because you're doing a swell job so far," Yang stated sarcastically. Raven didn't respond, but instead, she took a seat at the edge of Yang's bed and gazed out the window at the broken moon. Her dark, crimson eyes piercing through the night. Her daughter knew so little, and that was the most painful thing about this.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand my reasons, Yang," Raven responded with a more sympathetic voice than she had before. Still seething with white hot anger, Yang listened on. She once again noted the genuine feeling that was being portrayed in her birth mother's voice. Whether or not it was fake, was something she'd dwell on later.

"Why don't you stop stalling and just tell me. Why did you leave? That's the question I've been wanting to ask you ever since I found out that Summer wasn't my real mother," the blonde asked with a dangerous edge to her tone. Raven flinched a little, which was not missed by Yang. The mention of Summer's name seemed to bring the woman a great deal of internal pain.

"I can't tell you."

"Why not!?"

"Because I…" Raven's voice trailed off. Yang waited, and then snorted when it became evident that she wasn't going to finish her sentence.

"Figures," Yang spat turning away. Her eyes were still red from anger, and didn't show any signs of changing. The mere fact that her biological mother couldn't at least tell her why she had to feel the need to abandon her and Taiyang was sickening. She couldn't even give her a reason? There clearly was a reason, it's just that she wasn't willing to part with it.

"Cell," Raven started. Yang turned back to her, still scowling.

" _What_ about him?" she replied with a snarl. Raven's back was facing Yang, so she couldn't read the woman's expressions. However, she could tell by her body language that she wasn't feeling so confident as she was before. Her fingers twitched every so often, as if she were waiting for something to happen. It was possible that she _expected_ Yang to attack her.

"What _exactly_ is he?" Raven asked. Yang shrugged.

"Beats me. Why the hell should I tell _you?_ " Yang replied. Raven's hands clenched as her jaw tightened. It seemed that the danger that Cell presented was enough to put fear into even the most dangerous people on Remnant. Yang did find it interesting that her birth mother seemed to be genuinely scared of Cell. It was evident in her voice.

"Fine. You don't have to tell me," she responded. Yang scoffed and turned away. After a few moments of silence, Raven exhaled and turned her head to look at her daughter, only to find that she was sullenly looking away from her.

"I'm sorry… Yang."

"What?"

Yang turned back to Raven only to find that she was once again, alone in the room. Raven had disappeared without a sound, leaving the cold isolation to once again set Yang back in a state of anger, and annoyance. The window had closed, shielding any breeze from entering the room.

Yang grumbled as she tucked herself back under the covers. She couldn't believe that tonight would have been the night where she met her mother, and suffice to say she wasn't impressed with her. She hadn't gotten anything out of her other than pointless chatter.

" _I'm going to find you… and beat the answers outta you,_ " Yang swore in her thoughts as she returned to looking at the ceiling. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with the woman. Just the way Raven looked at her. Those blood red eyes held the same kind of emotion that Summer did when she looked at Yang.

They were filled with love.

But there was one difference.

Raven's were tainted by a mountain's worth of regret along with that love.

* * *

Early the next morning, Yang was cleared to leave the hospital and return to her team, which she did so with little difficulty. Settling back in and talking with her team, they made up and fixed the bad relations they had left on. With the Vytal festival coming up, time seemed to drift on by quite quickly.

A week had passed by with little notice, leaving the Vytal Festival hovering over the horizon in just a couple of days.

Both the blonde, and her cat faunus partner had recovered quite well. Ozpin had informed General Ironwood, and Professor Lionheart what had occurred at Newville town. Atlas specialists went in to clean up the town and the global media had a field day with the report. It was said to be one of the most violent and unprecedented terrorist attacks Remnant had seen for quite some time.

Those who knew the truth were tight lipped about the incident, leaving news and media outlets speculating. Unfortunately, it seemed that the White Fang had copped the blame for the incident. To the ire of Blake, it seemed that the faunus reputation was at an all-time low. She wanted to tell them the truth… but the question was...

Was the world ready for the truth?

With their recovery, the Bumblebee duo were itching to get back to training, but they knew for the sake of their team, it would probably be a better idea to tone it down and rest for a while longer. The Vytal Festival was right around the corner after all, and they were placed back into the tournament. Weiss would be furious if they went and got hurt again.

The red and the white of team RWBY were fully supportive of both Yang and Blake. The two had gone through such a traumatic experience that neither of them could have imagined what exactly they faced. They had even gone as far as to forgive their two teammates for lying to them. It was small, but to Blake and Yang, it was a huge weight off their shoulders.

However, the team was still nervous as to if they could participate in the Vytal Festival. Weiss had taken measures to remove them from the tournament due to the injuries that both Blake and Yang had sustained, but due to the speed of their recovery, the ice princess had taken the liberty of requesting their re-entry back into the games.

That being said, there were still some recovery procedures and other medical treatment that the Bumblebee duo had to undergo in order to make sure they were legally fit to participate in the games. Otherwise, there would be massive repercussions if something happened to them during the tournament and they weren't permitted to participate.

"Hey guys," the cat faunas spoke as she entered the room. Yang's sullen mood did a complete one-eighty as a bright grin appeared on her face. She couldn't take her mind off Cell, and the impromptu meeting her birth mother had sprung on her. So many emotions raging around inside her head. Her mood had been in the gully these past few days.

Ruby and Weiss were quite happy to see that their faunus teammate was well and healthy. She had been given the green light for her participation in the tournament, which meant that team RWBY was officially back in the game.

"Hiya Blake! How was it?" Ruby asked. Blake noticed that she wasn't wearing her bow, so she grabbed it from her bedside and placed it over her head and began tying it up. Needless to say since the encounter with Cell, her concern about hiding her faunus heritage had been put on the backburner. She had bigger issues to worry about than being accepted.

"Not too bad. I feel a lot better," she jumped up onto her bed, reaching under her pillow and retrieving one of her books. "though I'm still not happy that something like Cell is still out there. Who knows what he could be up to," she spoke in her usual monotone voice.

While Yang had been in the hospital, Blake had taken it upon herself to inform Ruby and Weiss of Cell as soon as she was able. The two were shocked that one person was behind the genocide in Newville. Their story was conflicting with the one she had heard from the media, however, she was inclined to believe her teammate rather than the reporters.

"I agree. This Cell terrorist seems even worse than the likes of the White Fang or Roman Torchwick. I'm just glad he hasn't come to Vale yet. I'm sure he will be dealt with when the time comes," Weiss responded rather curtly. Yang and Blake didn't look too convinced, and to be fair, neither did Ruby. It even looked like Weiss was finding it hard to believe her own words.

"I think we should focus on the threats inside of Vale right now. I don't think we're ready to deal with something that can kill that many people in over a night… ah, maybe not for a while anyway…" Ruby suggested honestly.

The whole idea that there was a creature that could do the things Blake described was enough to give her nightmares. She didn't want to even imagine what the creature looked like since the jet-black haired cat faunus had trouble describing the so called 'monster'. The most she could imagine was some kind of giant bug.

She was more right than she realized.

"For once that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'd take Roman Torchwick and the White Fang… hell throw some Grimm in there. I'll take anything over going toe to toe with Cell again," Yang shuddered as she recalled the events. She looked at her stomach and her arm. While her stomach had healed, her arm had… surprisingly healed just as fast.

Cell snapped her arm didn't he?

A broken bone should have healed in a week or two with the help of aura. How was it that her arm was never reported to have been broken?

She had a clear memory of Cell breaking her arm…

So why…?

Blake fortunately broke her out of pathway of unanswered questions.

"I'm actually inclined to agree with you. We need time to get _much_ stronger before we go up against a force like that again…" Blake stated as she rubbed her stomach. Phantom pains reminded her of just how damaged she had been when she had taken that hit. She wasn't the only one suffering from recurring nightmares.

"Anyway… let's change the subject," Ruby cut in, clearly sensing the depressing tone the conversation was heading towards. "The tournament is right around the corner and team RWBY is totally going to win! Let's go over our team attack cues. First we have Bumblebee…" she continued.

The team was happy to change the subject. Anything to take their minds off what had happened at Newville. What the Bumblebee duo wouldn't give to just put that incident behind them. Though it was proving to be far easier said than done.

Yang and Blake decided it wasn't necessary to worry about looking for Cell now because they both knew that they needed more training before they went up against him again. They knew their best bet for getting stronger would be training with Gohan or Qrow. Said boy happened to be on the Lookout with the older huntsman… and from what they were sensing, Pyrrha seemed to be up there as well.

They wondered how she was coping with the traumatic aftermath of their battle with Cell.

Both of them knew she wasn't hurt physically…

But they couldn't be so sure about her mental state. They heard from Jaune that she was undergoing counseling from Ms. Goodwitch, but it didn't seem to be doing the redhead any favours. The poor girl had watched them both _almost_ die! Neither of them could imagine what it was like. Yang had an idea, but she couldn't really make a guess.

She hadn't stopped training with Gohan since he had returned from his hunt with Cell.

They could sense her power growing. It was already marginally better than theirs. They didn't expect anything less from the strongest girl in their year group. Pyrrha was always one to strive and better herself. She hated being placed on that 'famous' podium for all to see, but anyone with eyes would notice that the young huntress-in-training desired to be the strongest.

She was a warrior with a gentle heart.

And it was because of this, that the Bumblebee duo had no idea how she was coping with the traumatic experience.

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos was a determined young woman, and when she put her mind to her passions, it was something to marvel at. She pushed for perfection in whatever she did. She was hard-working, dedicated… but there was still so much left for her to learn.

"Again!" she shouted- no, _demanded_ , as she pushed herself to her feet. Gohan eyed her carefully as his maximum power circled around him fiercely. Qrow was observing the two from a distance. Gohan had decided to go at her using his maximum base power instead of Super Saiyan. His transformed state would prove too much for her.

Even what she was going up against _now_ was too much for her.

She didn't care. She just kept standing up to take more punishment.

"Pyrrha…"

"Don't you _dare_ hold back! I won't give up!"

Something inside of her screamed out and ordered her to train, to break the barriers of her limits. To perfect this new power she had attained. It would be the only way to combat Cell. This new threat that loomed over Remnant like a laughing shadow. She couldn't stand being so weak compared to that monster.

Ever since she had returned to Beacon after their encounter, she had terrifying nightmares about the creature. It's grotesque nature… it's chilling voice and dead eyes. It was like something straight out of a child's nightmare. She couldn't shake the overwhelming fear. The monster had swatted them aside like flies

Gohan had been their only beacon of hope.

Her shield had been damaged from blocking that earth-splitting attack from that monstrosity. One hit and she was sent flying. She was lucky she was still able to walk! It seemed training with her energy had dramatically increased her aura reserves as well. Surprisingly they went hand in hand. The more she trained with her energy, the larger her aura became.

Sweat dripped from her forehead and chin as she endlessly fought against the impossibly strong boy before her. She needed to get stronger faster and most importantly, deadlier. She knew her previous training methods were of no help here. This was purely hand to hand combat. She was so used to fighting with her weapons,that her basic hand to hand skills has suffered.

Training her weapon accuracy and precision would not help her against a hulking unstoppable force like Cell. She needed _to be_ faster. She needed _to hit_ harder. To react and see things that normal fighters wouldn't see. Cell had slipped out of her vision so quickly it was like he had teleported.

He had been behind her in an instant. It was only out of instinct that she had managed to block that attack. If she hadn't…well... she saw what that thing had done to Blake. It shocked to her to the core to see the damage that abomination had done. If she hadn't blocked that shot… she would probably be nothing more than a splatter on the ground.

So as Gohan stood in front of her, she charged forward, determined to become as powerful as she possibly could. For her entire life she had been pushed to grow stronger. And that's just it, she was pushed, she never did it off her own back. It was always her parents, her sponsors, her image that demanded she be the strongest. But now she wasn't the strongest, she couldn't even protect herself from Cell, let alone those she loved.

She had no equal, but that has changed

She had a new target to conquer … _out of necessity_.

Pyrrha froze momentarily, causing Gohan to raise an eyebrow.

Her parents.

They were the reason she pushed herself so far. The reason for her success. They had done so much for her and she wasn't even there to see their passing. They had passed away a few years prior to her winning her third tournament. All she had left was her uncle and her much older brother. Well… only her brother remained now. As far as she knew her uncle was now a part of the monster that haunted her dreams.

"I won't…" Pyrrha muttered. She clenched her fists tightly. "I won't let that monster destroy more lives… I cannot. _I won't._ " She promised herself.

She resumed her training with even more vigour than before, causing her to miss the constant buzzing of her scroll with Jaune's face on the caller ID. Qrow eyed the scroll carefully before looking back towards Pyrrha, who was still relentlessly attacking the Saiyan-hybrid. The incident was affecting her more than he realized.

So far their recovery was off to a rocky start.

He just hoped it wasn't an omen of what's to come.

* * *

"Hey… uh Yang?" A voice broke her out of her thoughts.

Yang was currently in the Library looking for a few books that Blake had asked her to retrieve. Since the black bowed girl was spending her down time researching the White Fang and trying to gain insight on their next move, she had opted to go and search for some information in the Library. They tried to dig up everything they could on anything that seemed relevant. Although, coming to a Library full of old books to research recent events, regarding criminals no less might not have been the best idea.

This proved true when all that she could find were research papers and books on criminal psychology. Not exactly helpful material when you're trying to stop a militia hell-bent on the destruction of a major Kingdom, along with a murderous bio-android obsessed with power.

So far, the venture proved fruitless, but giving up was something that was not on the menu.

Yang turned to looked for the source of the voice and found a particular goofy and adorably awkward blonde standing in front of her. This person was Jaune Arc of team JNPR, and Yang had a feeling she already knew what he was going to ask. The look in his eyes held nothing but concern and worry,she held no doubts about who it was for.

"Hey lady-killer. What's going on?" she asked. Jaune had a concerned look in his eyes. It was evident he had been having trouble sleeping lately if the bags under his eyes indicated anything to her. It was pretty obvious what the cause of his chaotic appearance was.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Pyrrha is, would you? Ren and Nora can't seem to find her anywhere, and she won't pick up her scroll. I know about the tragedy in Newville and I know her uncle lived there and I really want to check if she's… uh… doing okay," Jaune's shoulders dropped, his body sagging. The guy was exhausted. What was that girl thinking…? Stressing her team out like this wasn't like her at all.

Yang sighed as she stretched out her senses.

She could sense that Pyrrha was _still_ on the Lookout. It seemed despite the counselling with Professor Goodwitch, Pyrrha still flew back to the Lookout since their return to Beacon. The concern for their teammate was well warranted. Why was Pyrrha actively avoiding her team? It didn't make any sense to the fiery blonde.

Had… she forgotten about her team? That… couldn't be possible… could it?

The stress about Cell must have gotten to her more than the blonde had initially realized!

In fact, Yang hadn't even talked to her since the confrontation with Cell.

Her energy had grown exponentially to the point where Yang wasn't even sure if it was actually _Pyrrha_ that she was sensing. The power was so much larger and denser than it had been prior to fighting Cell that it made Yang's look piddly and insignificant. Just what the hell had she been doing up there? It felt like she was torturing herself!

The energetic teen liked to think she knew the red-headed warrior quite well. She was a very polite lady and was very caring and considerate towards others. For her to be ignoring Jaune and the rest of her team like this, was a blatant red flag to Yang. Something was clearly bothering her friend, and now, she felt _obligated_ to find out what was wrong.

"Nope, haven't seen her. You want me to go look for her? I have an idea where she might be," Yang replied. Jaune nodded thankfully.

"Please do," he sighed in relief. "We're worried about her... _I'm_ worried about her," Jaune spoke softly. Yang nodded. She got the message. She would drag Pyrrha back here kicking and screaming if she had to. That girl couldn't worry her team like this. The last thing she wanted was Pyrrha to go through what she and Blake had to with their team.

"Alright, I'll just drop these things off with Blake and then go find her. Don't worry Jaune, I'm sure she's fine," Yang assured. The boy smiled weakly, but relieved.

"Thanks Yang. I got to get back to my team. Nora and I are coming up with team attack names for the festival. See ya!" Jaune replied as he took off back to his dorm room. Yang chuckled lightly as she picked out the last book.

Walking over towards the counter where her favourite boy in Beacon was, she handed the books over to him with a flirtatious smile on her face. The boy was at his usual post doing some more reading, but with a much more serious demeanour than usual. She frowned when he didn't take notice.

"Stop frowning. You're going to get wrinkles," Yang joked lightly. Gohan looked up, his features brightening significantly. It was great to see Yang up and about. He was slightly surprised that she was out of the hospital so early. Her injury was near-fatal from what he was told.

"Hey Yang! How are you feeling?" he asked. The blonde winked and smiled.

"I'm _Yangtastic_ , thanks for asking," she grinned. The half-Saiyan rolled his eyes.

"Puns are awful as usual. Yep, you're _just_ fine," he chuckled. He scanned the books and handed them back to her. "Are you thinking of training later today? I might be up for a spar," Gohan asked. Yang nodded with a fierce smile on her face, but then something occurred to her.

"Yeah sure… uh, you wouldn't happen to know what's up with Pyrrha would you?" she asked. At the mention of the red-head's name, Gohan's features darkened slightly as he leaned in closer to Yang. She mirrored his actions as the conversation slightly took a more, serious tone.

"Ever since our fight with Cell, she hasn't been coping very well. Seeing both you and Blake almost die has… seriously disturbed her. She's demanded that I train with her every moment I go to the Lookout to talk with Qrow. He's busy working with her at the moment," he spoke softly. Yang's features dropped to a more downcast look as she ran a hand through her thick, golden blonde tresses.

"Damn… and here I thought Blake and I were the extent of the damage. Want me to go talk to her? Seems like she's taking it pretty hard," Yang asked. The black haired teen nodded glumly. It seemed like he had already tried to talk her through it and failed. It seemed this needed a _ladies'_ touch. The blonde guessed it was time to crack out the girl talk again.

"That might be for the best," he stated. Yang nodded as she took the books and said her good-byes.

She quickly made her way back to the RWBY dorm where Blake was doing her studies. Said girl was perched up on top of her bed with various books strewn out around her. She had a pen in her hand and was scribbling away furiously on some pads of paper.

"Here you go Blakey~" Yang sung as she opened the door and dumped the books on Blake's bed. The cat faunus looked at the new books that had been delivered to her by her good partner. She was happy that Yang was so supportive, but couldn't shake the feeling the blonde was hiding something from her. Blake had a sense for these things.

"Thanks Yang," she took the books and arranged them accordingly. "Ren and Nora knocked, they asked me if I knew were Pyrrha was," she finished. Yang sighed. It seemed that team JNPR were _really_ worried about Pyrrha if both Ren and Nora were also door knocking to see where she was.

"Yeah, Vomit-boy asked me where she was as well just a few minutes ago. I can sense her on the Lookout training. I'm going up to have a chat with her. She's been… _really_ going at it from what I can sense," Yang retorted with a whistle. Blake snorted in response to that.

"Training is saying it _lightly_. I can sense just how much her power has increased from here…" the cat faunas replied. "...anyway, don't take too long. Ruby and Weiss will be back later to talk more about strategies for the festival. You remember what happened last time when Ruby found out you were trying to skip out on her 'awesome and amazing, team RWBY's _kickass_ planning sessions.' As I recall, it didn't go down too well," Blake smirked lightly. Yang rolled her eyes.

"That little twerp has her panties up so high I bet it could touch her chest. Sometimes I swear she takes this leader stuff way too seriously," the blonde replied with a grin. "I'll be back soon~" Yang sung as she opened their window and took off, flying out of the room.

The moment she left, Blake rolled her eyes and went back to reading. She'd figured it would be a good idea to start training tomorrow. So, she'd enjoy her day of rest while she could. Looking around, feeling as though she had earnt it, she slipped her hand under her pillow and retrieved her _favorite_ black book. Her hand ran over the thick, black cover in a seductive manner.

"Hello, my _darling…_ " she purred.

You had to enjoy the little things in life to get the most of it.

* * *

Nothing brought Yang more joy than speeding through the air at supersonic speeds. She tore through the clouds, watching them part from the sheer force of her speed. Her bright yellow aura flamed around her as she ripped through the skies of Remnant. It was an intoxicating feeling, and she wasn't sure if it would ever become a novelty.

It had taken her a few moments to reach the Lookout far above the Forever Fall forest, and when she touched down, she was greeted by an incredible sight. The redheaded girl she had come to talk to was dashing around fighting invisible opponents, pretending to be engaged in a real battle. Yang could see the serious look on her face, the look of determination. That focused look in her eyes, it burned brightly with every move she made.

Yang cracked a small smile as she crouched down and leaped into an attack.

"Think fast!" the teen brawler went in for a punch but found it immediately caught. Pyrrha reacted on pure instinct and skill. She was much faster than she had ever been, and it made Ruby's semblance look like the poor red girl was moving through water. Pyrrha's speed was jaw-dropping, and her reaction time was something that wasn't slacking either. Yang had trouble processing just how the girl had caught her attack so easily!

A painful crack echoed throughout the Lookout as Pyrrha's armoured leg met Yang's left side. The action had been autonomous and reactionary, she hadn't even realized she had hit her friend until after the damage had already been done. The blonde brawler was sent skidding on her back across the tiled ground. She stopped a few meters away from the edge and exhaled in relief.

Pyrrha's eyes widened as she had immediately realised what she had done. She immediately flew across the tiles to help her friend back to her feet. She couldn't believe how tunnel visioned she had been. The counterattack had just happened without her needing to think. There was no way she could have stopped it!

"Oh, my gosh Yang! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean too!" Pyrrha cried desperately. Yang sighed and shook off the pain and forced herself to her feet, Pyrrha supporting her from behind. Yang cracked a stiff point in her neck before turning to the girl who had put her on her backside. She wasn't mad. It was her fault she tried to scare the girl.

"Damn girl you've got a nasty kick there! That actually kind of hurt," Yang chuckled, rubbing her side lightly. Pyrrha bowed and apologised many times over before Yang held up her hands to stop the blubbering girl. Pyrrha was incredibly socially awkward, and it showed in the worst ways sometimes.

"Jeez, I came up here to tell you to cool it off for a while," she dusted herself off before meeting Pyrrha's emerald green eyes. "You know Jaune's been trying to get a hold of you right? Your team is worried sick about you Pyrrha." Panic immediately flooded the read haired girl's eyes.

Pyrrha dashed over to her scroll and picked it up, looking at the recent logs of call history and missed messages. Her scroll had been flooded by messages from the other members of team JNPR, all wondering if she was okay. A hand lifted to her mouth, shaking as it did so. Why…

Why had no one told her!? Neither Qrow or Professor Goodwitch had informed her that she was ignoring her team! She hadn't even realized she was doing it!

"Oh my god!" she cried in horror, collapsing to her knees as she started to hyperventilate. "What have I done?! All I wanted… I just wanted to…!" Tears started to form in her eyes. Yang could tell Pyrrha was on the verge of breaking into tears. The encounter with Cell had been rough on them all. A horrible wakeup call that they lived in a world where monsters like Cell existed. A threat so real, and so terrifying she couldn't help but shudder.

None of them wanted to think what he could do to a Kingdom, given the opportunity.

The world was already filled to the brim with dangers like Grimm, the White Fang, and whoever _Salem_ was... but Cell? He was different. That monster was a glaring, nightmarish boogeyman that would slaughter and absorb you first chance he got. He was no longer an unknown to them anymore. That slimy murderer was out there… getting stronger by the day.

He wasn't mindless like the Grimm. He wasn't pretending to be plotting the downfall of Vale. If that's what he truly wanted he'd be there now, using them all as batteries to further increase his already nightmarish power. The White Fang... Roman Torchwick…? They weren't his concern. It was only the presence of Gohan which kept them alive, and now that monster was in the possession of an ungodly amount of Dust; he might have more than enough power that even Gohan wouldn't be able to match.

That _thing_... was a monster! Plain and simple.

A monster with enough power to erase a highly-populated town off the face of the planet in just a night.

God knows what Cell was doing, but obviously, it was nothing good.

"I don't blame you for wanting to get stronger…" the blonde trailed off, but her determination bought her back on track. "-but remember that we need to take care of ourselves first and foremost. If we are going to have _any chance_ -and I mean any chance of beating Cell… we need to work _together_ on this, okay?" Yang reminded the girl.

She understood where the blonde was coming from, but the thoughts of anymore of her friends or loved ones dying just cut too deep. She felt like she was trying to climb an impossibly large mountain where Gohan and Cell stood at the top. It felt like they were an insurmountable obstacle and no matter what she did she would never be able to help!

She couldn't stand that!

"I know Yang, but… I can't let anyone else I care about suffer or leave me. I just can't! The idea that Cell is still out there…! Hurting innocent people and-" Pyrrha shuddered as the thought occurred to her. " _Getting stronger…_ doesn't that bother you!?" she cried. Yang grimaced as she exhaled to calm her nerves. She never would have imagined she would see the invincible girl in a state like _this_.

They looked down and in the distance, they could see the Amity Colosseum being prepared for the festival in just four more days. It wasn't long now. Students were arriving from all over the world. It was going to be one hell of a show. And Yang was quite excited to cream the competition and show them what Vale is made of!.

"Of course it bothers me!" Yang snapped back, looking a little distant as the memory of her almost dying was refreshed in her mind. A hand drifted down to her stomach where the jagged scar still remained, a reminder of the battle.

"-but all we can do is keep moving forward... but right now, you need to go see your team. They're worried about you Pyrrha. They know you're hurting, and they want to help you before you drown in this... _sadness_. Come on, go and talk to them. You need this girl… trust me," Yang finished. Pyrrha sighed as she walked over to the edge of the Lookout and gazed into the horizon. She could see Beacon in the distance.

Yang walked up behind her and gave her a quick nudge, pushing her off the edge.

Pyrrha quickly caught herself in mid-air and scowled at Yang. She soon changed her expression when she saw the blonde's cheesy grin and thumbs up. No matter what, the blonde fiery girl just seemed to brighten the mood. She didn't seem to stay sad too long, she just seemed to stand up and keep moving forward, but she could tell that Yang had her own set of issues to deal with.

There was a small, ghostly look behind those lilac eyes.

"I guess you are right. It is time that I talked to them about this. I'll go -but I'll be back up here tomorrow if you want to train," Pyrrha replied quickly. Yang nodded, a friendly smile gracing her features.

"I'll bring Blake along. We could all use this time to relieve some stress," Yang grinned. The emerald eyed girl nodded before shooting off back to the school. Yang sighed and waited a few moments before doing the same. Jumping off the Lookout and letting herself free fall back down to the red forest below. The wind in her hair, the freedom that came with it.

It was intoxicating.

The world around her continuously changed by the day, but there was a dark storm approaching, and right at the center of it was a Bio-Android that was not of this world.

His laugh haunted the girl's dreams, and she wasn't sure that they would ever stop.

* * *

Strolling down the hallways, she quickly starting to realize that her nerves were starting to act up, and she was wearing the fear on her face like it were a mask.

Pyrrha hadn't spoken to her team for quite some time, and and she didn't even realise until Yang had told her… it almost made her sick! As she approached her dorm room, her nerves started to get to her, causing her legs to shake and make her stomach feel queasy and slimy. She couldn't imagine just how much she had worried her teammates.

Despite this, she wouldn't let her fear control her. She walked through the barrier to her dorm. She was immediately met with relieved faces, and suddenly found her vision spinning as she was tackled to the ground by none other than the bubbly Nora. The orange haired girl wasn't on the verge of tears like Pyrrha was, but she wasn't far off.

"Pyrrha! Where have you been? You had us so worried! First we heard that Blake and Yang were _hurtthenyouhavetotalkwithMissGoodwitchthenwedon'tseeyouforaweekwethoughtyoumightbehurtbut-_ " Nora stopped her speech from speeding up any further when she noticed Pyrrha's bewildered expression. "We're just glad you're okay!"

It took all of Ren and Jaune's strength to pry Nora from the red-head. It was only thanks to the assistance of Jaune and Ren that Pyrrha managed to get Nora off of her. She looked towards her leader, his warm blue eyes zeroed in on her. Thousands of emotions were exchanged, and none of them were even remotely clear.

"Jaune…" Pyrrha whispered under her breath as she brought her hands together. She started to nervously fidget with her fingers as she faced the boy who made her stomach perform back flips. She could feel the fearful butterflies flying around desperately in her body. The mere thought that he might be disappointed in her, or that he might not like her anymore was unbearable.

"Pyrrha?" he asked as he approached her. She started to shake as fear overcame her. Tears started to drip unceremoniously out of her eyes. Ren and Nora stood back and watched in silence as Pyrrha Nikos, the invincible girl, their pillar of strength broke down in front of them.

"...I'm scared."

It was a whimper, and it made Nora and Ren recoil slightly. Pyrrha had never sounded so… _broken_ before. This was a completely new side of her they were witnessing. All her fear, her worries, her concern, and terror. It was all rolled up and stirred into this horrible mess she found herself in. It was a difficult sight to behold when the strongest member on your team -both physically and mentally- was having an emotional breakdown.

It made the rest of team JNPR feel powerless.

"I'm so… _scared,_ " she whimpered again. She stepped forward and practically fell into Jaune's arms. The blonde haired boy caught her awkwardly and wrapped his arms around her slender, fit frame. Her entire body shook as the tears streamed out of her eyes and onto his shirt. Nora and Ren exchanged looks, silently asking each other if this had something to do with the injuries Yang and Blake had attained while on the mission with her.

"Pyrrha, it's okay," Jaune patted her back and embraced her. She sunk into his grip as her cries became harder to contain. She thought she was stronger than this, better than this but the fear that had been instilled into her by Cell came pouring out. That monster would kill them all if they weren't strong enough. If Gohan wasn't around… they were all as good as _dead_.

As Pyrrha's cries continued, Jaune turned his head slightly to look at his other teammates, to see they were just as lost as he was. They needed to know what happened. They had gotten the brief overview from Ruby and Weiss about what happened. But they were kind of vague about it, though apparently Pyrrha and the others were attacked by some powerful monster? At least, that's what they gathered.

"Pyrrha," Ren stood up and approached the girl in their leader's arms. He placed a hand on her shoulder and immediately the tears ceased. A sense of tranquility passed over her and her tears stopped falling. She took a deep breath and removed herself from Jaune's arms. She rubbed her eyes, drying the wet streaks on her face.

"Pull yourself together and explain to us what happened," Ren asked calmly. Pyrrha choked a bit and coughed. Jaune steered her over to her bed and gently sat her down. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She looked up and saw that Jaune was sitting next to her, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Nora and Ren sat down opposite of them.

"When you're ready, Pyrrha," Jaune eased in.

So she told them everything about the mission. The primary source of her grief.

Their reactions ranged from horror to terror, shock and awe and just about every other expression, or emotion that she had been feeling over these past few days since the incident. During the explanation, Jaune's arm had fallen from her shoulders as he was unable to comprehend what she had experienced. She missed the comfort he was providing.

"We… we never knew," Ren started, shaking his head in disbelief. Jaune's hands were clenched tightly, shaking from pure emotion. Nora was uncharacteristically silent. It was like Pyrrha's story hit both Ren and her right in the gut. Absent was her usual cheer, instead it was replaced with an unreadable frown. Memories from a painful childhood were starting to resurface.

"I can't believe such a monster exists," Jaune growled.

"An entire town?" Nora whispered in disbelief. Pyrrha merely nodded.

"Yes… and the worst part is… I don't think he's going to stop. I have no doubt since our encounter that many other towns have been…" Pyrrha choked on the words, feeling that sick feeling crawl back into her stomach as images of what Cell would be doing to those poor villages came to the forefront of her mind. "... _absorbed,_ " she finished with a disgusted look.

"Then what do we do? _What can we do?_ " Jaune asked, downcast. There was tense silence before the most level headed person answered the question.

"Nothing," Ren stated simply, a dark look in his eyes accompanied his words. Everyone stared at him with disbelief in their eyes. He merely sighed. "If what Pyrrha said is true then we aren't nearly strong enough to fight someone like that. It would be best if we left that to someone who is trained and more capable with dealing with high level threats such as this… Cell creature," Ren finished. He had spoken his bit.

He got up and left the room. They could tell he didn't like how he answered that question, but everyone knew he meant every word of it. The worst part about it was something that they could not deny.

He was right.

* * *

The next day marked the second to last day before the Vytal Festival kicked off and people were gearing up to ready themselves for the event.

However, this was not in the minds of those on the Lookout. Blake, Yang and Pyrrha were locked in a three-way-struggle to see who would come out on top. Naturally, Pyrrha was winning. Her extra training with Gohan had pushed her to even greater heights as a fighter. Qrow had restricted the use of their weapons for this fight.

While it wasn't much of a problem for Pyrrha and Yang, for Blake it was rather frustrating. She was much more used to training with Gambol Shroud. Her strengths didn't lie in direct confrontations. They were in stealth tactics. She preferred a more… evasive approach when it came to straight up fighting. Needless to say, that where her physical facilities failed her, the mental ones made up for it. It was the only aspect she could confidently say that Pyrrha and Yang didn't outclass her in.

It didn't take long for Yang and Blake to start improving. The more they used their energy, the stronger and faster they became, and it was becoming evident that they were much more formidable fighters, than they were before they could control their energy. It was such a small amount of time and they were already making large jumps in power. Gohan couldn't be prouder.

While it was amusing to see Blake out of her comfort zone in regards to hand to hand combat, she was improving every time she engaged Yang or Pyrrha. The girls made sure they pushed each other to their limits, as they had been for the last couple of hours, while Gohan and Qrow had just stood by watching them train. It seemed that supervising them was quite entertaining.

"They've come so far in just a few weeks it's actually stunning…" Gohan looked up at the girls in awe. As he watched their fierce battle, situated a few meters above the Lookout, Qrow was lying on a deck chair he had gotten up there… somehow, watching the girls duke it out with a pair of sunglasses on his face and a drink in his hand, a good start to a good night he'd called it.

"Yeah… they're certainly making more progress than I did when I started learning. Took me years to get to the level they're already at. It's kinda funny ya'know…" Qrow chuckled as he remembered the better times of his youth… He could have sworn that he saw Summer, Raven and Taiyang up in that sky fighting for a brief moment, maybe he'd had too much to drink.

"Hey Qrow," Gohan asked. The drunkard turned his head to look at the half-Saiyan who was sitting on one of the steps that led into the temple building. "Who exactly is Salem? I've talked to Ozpin about her before, but he didn't tell me much," the boy asked. Qrow grumbled as the witch's name left the teens mouth.

"She's a dangerous, crazy witch with too much power. I don't know what you want me to tell you. I hardly know anything about her. She controls Grimm, and she's after the Maidens from what I know… but she has competition now, and she's _definitely_ not going to like that," Qrow smirked a little. Anything to get under that witch's skin made him smile.

"Cell…" Gohan muttered darkly. Qrow's smug smile was gone the moment the half-Saiyan spoke the name. His mind drifted to that nightmarish abomination. He couldn't have imagined a worse time for that creature to pop up into existence. Right in the middle of their invisible cold war with Salem and her minions. It wasn't helpful in the slightest.

"There's no possible chance that this Salem person might try to get Cell on her side, right?" Gohan asked hesitantly. Qrow laughed at that comment and shook his head.

"No way in Hell. Come on, you saw what kind of personality that creature has. He's crazy, and he's all about killing and absorbing anything that has a shred of power inside of it. He's more of a threat to Salem than we are to her. I think Cell might be taking the heat off us a little," Qrow commented lightly. Gohan raised an eyebrow at that.

"Are you sure about that Qrow?" he asked. The older man sat up and sighed.

"I have no idea kid," he replied depressively. "I've been wrong on so many different occasions that it's become hard for me to come to any proper conclusions without second guessing myself. I've got no idea what Salem is up to, or how she will react to Cell. All I can do is try my best to make sure there is a tomorrow to wake up to, and with Cell stalking around, that reality is becoming hard to guarantee," the drunkard explained.

"Yeah… it doesn't take much to blow up a planet," Gohan muttered sourly. Qrow could only laugh mirthlessly.

"Imagine the kind of shit we would be dealing with if this life energy stuff was widely known and taught. We would be having idiots and psychopaths threatening to blow us all to kingdom come every damn day," the veteran huntsman chuckled as he looked up to see that the girls were still going at it. They were starting to get to the point where they were comfortable throwing energy waves at each other.

"Nice one Pyrrha! Try this!" Yang yelled as a golden energy wave shot towards her friend. Pyrrha smirked and ducked out of the way, only to be hit by Blake's own energy wave. The black cat faunas just gave the redhead a smug smile.

"Always watch your back,~" Blake chided. Pyrrha growled playfully as she phased out and appeared behind Blake. She grabbed the poor faunus's ankles and threw her back down to the tiled ground. Blake regained balance of her assisted fall and landed on her feet before rebounding back up to join the fight. She wasn't about to call it quits yet!

"They look like they're having fun," Qrow noted. Gohan could only grin nostalgically. The sight brought back fond memories from before the androids attacked. Counting the days until his dad would finally come home. He would train with Piccolo, sometimes he'd even spar with Krillin, Tien and Yamcha. He even got his mom to teach him a few moves! It was exhilarating and got his Saiyan blood pumping.

"Yeah…"

As he continued to watch, he could feel his itch to fight returning, so he powered up, causing a white flaming aura to ignite around him. Qrow merely laughed as the boy stood up and stretched his muscles.

"Give 'em hell kid,"

Gohan chuckled before he took off to join in with their spar.

Needless to say, the girls were reminded just how far they had yet to climb.

* * *

Later that day, the drunkard had retreated from the Lookout due to the amount of noise the three girls were making. However, before he could visit the local bar to further drown himself in the pleasurable substance he called 'alcohol', he got a call, Ozpin wanted to see him, and, based on his tone the matter was urgent.

That's why Qrow found himself in Ozpin's office, locked in a heated discussion with the silver haired headmaster.

"If we aren't going to ask Nikos to become the next Fall Maiden, then who is going to take Amber's place? You know as well as I do that Salem's pawns are getting closer by the day and Amber is running out of time. There's only so much time the life support can buy her, and that hourglass is running outta sand," Qrow scowled. Ozpin mirrored the alcoholic huntsman's expression.

"With Pyrrha learning how to adapt and manipulate life energy, I have had second thoughts about extending the offer to her. I have a feeling the procedure might backfire due to her newfound ki control," Ozpin explained. Qrow scowled. The reasoning seemed weak, but he could understand the headmasters hesitation.

The machine worked on the basis that the person had their aura unlocked. It did not take into account if the person knew how to manipulate their own life energy. Unforeseen consequences might unfold if they were too careless, and Qrow knew that Ozpin was not one to make such rash decisions, especially if one of his students is involved. He seemed right to second guess himself.

"Then who?" the drunkard asked. He almost regretted that he even asked.

"Ruby Rose."

"Good joke," Qrow snapped. Ozpin leaned back in his chair with a tired look on his face.

"I wasn't joking," He stated. Qrow's face darkened

"Good! Because I'm not laughing!" Qrow growled viciously. "I'm not putting my niece through that process. It would destroy her. I don't care if it _even_ worked! Ruby wouldn't be able to handle taking someone else's soul in her body, she would be against the idea, the guilt would tear her apart Oz, I'm not going to let her go through something like that," the veteran continued. Ozpin merely narrowed his eyes.

"You had no problem with Ms. Nikos attaining the power before, why not Ruby?" He asked. Qrow shot out of his chair with a furious look on his face.

"Look, I don't know Nikos that well, but I sure as hell know Ruby. I trained her Oz, I know what she's like and let me tell you that doing this to her will do more harm than good." Qrow said darkly. Ozpin could only bring his hands together in thought. It was a very troubling situation they were placed in.

"Not only that, but Cell is after the maidens as well. If Salem and her associates weren't bad enough, Cell already has found one and absorbed her. How he knows about the Maidens is beyond me, but he's dangerous, if not _more_ dangerous than Salem now. We need to act fast. Whoever we choose as a Maiden needs to stick close to us," Qrow advised. The troubled headmaster frowned.

How could Cell have possibly found out about the Maidens; and not only did he find out, but the monster managed to find one and absorb one so quickly. He hadn't even noticed! This Cell creature was very cunning and extremely resourceful. He was looking for power from what Qrow had told him. Power to help him achieve his perfect evolution, something Ozpin would stop any cost.

"Then who do you suppose we choose? There's no telling what the Maiden's powers will do to the user if they are adept with life energy control, and I'm not willing to risk that just yet," Ozpin declared. Qrow ran a hand through his slick black hair in thought.

"Well, it's either that, or we choose out of Weiss Schnee, Ruby, or Nora Valkyrie. Valkyrie is out of the question, and I won't stand for Ruby being placed in that kind of danger. I'll be dead before I see a Schnee take that kind of power for themselves, who knows what Jacques will do if he finds out the heiress has that kind of power," Qrow warned. Ozpin agreed with his reasoning.

Nora Valkyrie didn't exactly fit his criteria. That means he was left with either Ruby, or Weiss.

"Indeed. I will need to think more on this situation. We still have time, and my primary choice is still Pyrrha. I'm just unsure how her control with her energy might alter the transfer process," Ozpin stated. Qrow nodded at that. He could see where Ozpin was coming from and why Ruby seemed to be the next applicant for the process.

Ruby was young, talented and most of all, a _kind honest soul_. Her silver eyes made her a future threat to Salem should she ever learn how to control that kind of power. That, mixed with the abilities of the maidens… You had the making of a real weapon right there. He had no doubt that even someone like Gohan, or even Cell _might_ have trouble going up against those supernatural powers.

Its origins were magical and unknown. Who knows how that would fare against master energy users?

"We'll keep thinking on it, because we need to make sure that those powers are in safe hands before the tournaments over. I have a bad feeling about what's to come, and you of all people know how badly things can go down if we aren't prepared for the road ahead," the drunkard warned as he began to take his leave.

"Be safe Qrow. Try to get in contact with Raven. Now is the time more than ever that she needs to return," Ozpin stated. Qrow stood at the doorway and scoffed.

"Jeez… Raven? She ain't coming back, but if it's what you want I can try," he let out a sigh. "Just give me a few days, I'll see what I can do," Qrow remarked as he walked out of the room. Ozpin rose from his chair and walked over to the window with his cane in hand. He gazed out the window towards the sunset.

Doom was just over the horizon. He just hoped they had enough strength to withstand the oncoming storm.

But somehow…

He was doubtful.

* * *

Today was the day!

Fireworks rocketed into the sky the moment the booming horn sounded. Cheers and roars demonstrated the crows approval of the exciting performance taking place in the arena. The first match of the Vytal Festival was an exciting one. Team RWBY was first up to represent Beacon against team ABRN who were representing Haven Academy

"Welcome folks to the Vytal Festival! Here we have a spectacular match up, team RWBY, a first-year team from Beacon, up against team ABRN from Haven!" the announcer boomed over the loudspeakers. The roaring crowd's cheers intensified as Yang Xiao Long engaged a member from team ABRN.

The fight had started some time ago with Ruby and Weiss taking the lead. The match itself was rather dull for the Bumblebee duo. Their training in life energy served to improve their speed, striking power and aura levels to an astounding degree. They were beginning to wonder just how they lived without control over their life energy before. If someone had told them two and a half weeks ago that they would be this strong, they would never have believed them, but now, they can't help but be stunned by how quickly they've improved. Truly the rate at which life energy increases your abilities is almost unbelievable.

Yang had to admit though, it was still rather fun fighting against these guys and giving the crowd a show and after their encounter will Cell, it was nice to feel powerful. Despite Yang, Pyrrha and Blake agreeing with one another that using their energy within the tournament arena and grounds was forbidden, it didn't stop them from moving faster and hitting harder. Their physical abilities had skyrocketed, and the same could be said about their aura reserves, and it was showing.

While both teams, Ruby and Weiss's aura levels were down to below the sixty percent mark, Yang and Blake were still sitting comfortably at the mid-nineties. It was quite easy to tell that the other team was starting to get frustrated at how Blake and Yang seemed to be taking almost no damage despite their best efforts.

Yang landed a roundhouse kick to her opponent's face, sending his aura into the red zone and completely knocking him out cold. Ironically, he landed on the frozen part of the arena.

"Nadir Shiko, is eliminated by knockout and aura level by Beacon's, Yang Xiao Long! In an incredible display of her combat prowess!" Port announced over the speakers. The crowd roared in approval and praise as Yang flashed the remainder of team ABRN a cheeky grin.

"Looks like you need to _chill out_ dude," Yang smirked. She was smacked in the head by Blake who jumped past her to evade an attack by the girl on the hoverboard. The cat faunus gave Yang a sour look as Yang rolled her eyes.

"Okay! Jeez Blake that was _ice-cold,_ " That earned her another hit. "No more! I give, I get it! I've been at an all-time low on the puns lately. I had to make one sometime you know? Get back into my groove," Yang whined. Blake sighed as she gave her partner a dull, unamused look.

"Whatever. You want to help me with this one, or should I do it?" She asked as the two faced the hoverboard girl. She winked at Blake. Yang growled a little and turned to Blake. Absolutely _nobody_ got to tease her partner! That was her job!

"You take her, otherwise I might _accidentally_ put her in the hospital," Yang growled. Blake smirked. Something told Reese this wasn't going to end well for her.

"Will do," She remarked as she seemingly disappeared into thin air. Yang waved at the Hoverboard girl before doing the same, leaving a dumbfounded opponent wide open for attack. Blake had managed to get behind the girl, and hooked Gambol Shroud around her hoverboard, pulling it out from beneath the girl.

Before the mint haired skater could even hit the ground, Blake sped forward and delivered a devastating combo that lowered the girl into the red zone and promptly booted her out of the arena. The poor girl landed so hard she could barely move, she could only look up at the status board and pout as it displayed her being eliminated from the match.

Both Weiss and Ruby seemed to be completely stunned at how efficient their teammates were. It was like they were barely even trying!

" _I don't understand! Both of those idiots were hospitalized less than a week ago! How are they able to move so fast!?_ " Weiss screamed internally. She had the sinking feeling that she was starting to fall behind her teammates. However, she was reminded that there was still one girl she was better than.

"Wow! Our teammates are awesome! Don't you reckon, best buddy?" Ruby nudged her with a annoyingly infectious grin. Weiss merely gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. Her partner still had her moments of complete and utter idiocy. She didn't blame her though, the poor girl couldn't help it.

"And Blake Belladonna comes in with a devastating sneak attack on Reese Chloris. Ouch, she really should have worn a helmet," Oobleck commented over the microphone. The entire stadium cheered in excitement as the battle continued. Team RWBY was still going strong, and with Ruby and Weiss holding off their opponents, all Blake and Yang had to do was wait for their leader's signal. They didn't have to wait long.

Gohan was watching with approval from the stands as he sat with Pyrrha and the rest of JNPR. Instead of sitting on the Lookout and watching the tournament from there like Qrow, Gohan had opted to sit with Pyrrha and her team. It was an good opportunity to become closer with her team.

"Blake and Yang have gotten a lot faster since we last saw them fight," Ren noted with a curious gaze. The orange haired girl sitting next to them had to agree. It was evident to anyone who knew the two girls that the duo had improved by leaps and bounds!

"I'll say! They really have gotten faster! It's hard to tell if they're faster than Ruby or not, and her Semblance is speed!" Nora exclaimed. Jaune seemed to deflate as he watched the match. Everyone around him seemed to be getting better but him. Granted Pyrrha was still helping him, and he was finding himself improving by the day, he couldn't help but feel like he was falling further behind rather than gaining on them.

"Yeah. I can see that too. I can't even see them when they decide to move that fast. I wonder what kind of training they did. I might have to ask," Jaune added in an exhausted manner. Pyrrha shifted slightly next to him. Since Gohan and Jaune sat to either side of her, she found it a little awkward considering the person who helped them attain that kind of strength was sitting on the other side of her.

She looked at Gohan and he looked back. He shrugged and gave her a nonchalant look. It was a look telling her to be patient. She could remember the words from Qrow, about how it would be better if no one knew about these powers at all. She didn't want to risk her team, or Jaune's safety. There still was that feeling of guilt that persisted in her stomach.

She didn't want to ask him to train Jaune either. Too much was going on already in his life. He was already training her, Blake and Yang. Adding onto that, he had Cell to worry about along with the people who had infiltrated the school. She held the same worries. Neither of them had the time to train anyone.

"Team RWBY is Victorious! And so, they will move on to the doubles round," Port announced over the speakers. Pyrrha and the others cheered for the team while Gohan clapped for the victorious team. It was always nice to watch a sporting event like this. No fights to the death. This was the kind of fighting Gohan enjoyed. He absently wondered if this was what the world tournaments were like back when they were still running.

"We did it!" Ruby squealed in delight.

* * *

"Is anyone else starving?" Ruby sighed as she rubbed her growling stomach. Blake relaxed a little bit while Yang stretched out and looked for a place to eat.

"I may have worked up an appetite," Blake added before her stomach made a very unladylike growl that seemed to reverberate around the surrounding area. Her team gave her looks as she let out a small blush. How _embarrassing_. Yang let out a slight giggle. It wasn't every day that Blake's stomach growled like that.

"If only there was some place we could eat around here… - oh wait," Weiss stated sarcastically as she gestured to the fair grounds. The entire place was loaded with food stores and mini-outdoor restaurants that students and people from all over could enjoy.

"It's okay Weiss, I forgot about the fairgrounds too," Ruby grinned placing a hand on the Ice Queen's shoulder. She knocked it away with a scowl.

"I was being facetious," Weiss snarked. Ruby jumped in excitement and surprise.

"Why didn't you say so! Come on! Let's go find a place to eat!" She exclaimed. Before the group could even walk a few steps a chill ran down the spines of Blake and Yang, moments later a voice made itself known. The owner of the voice had tainted energy with a sour edge to it.

"I don't think you can eat without this," Ruby turned to find that Emerald Sustrai held her wallet in her hand. The girl had a friendly smile on her face, but something seemed off about it, like it was strained, false even. Yang and Blake didn't really understand what they were feeling, but it felt like this girl was putting on an act.

Ruby frantically searched for her wallet in her not-so-existent girl pockets that her combat skirt _definitely_ had. Funnily enough, it wasn't there, and neither were her pockets. Go figure. Seriously, girl pockets in skirts? Was that even a thing?

"Emerald!" Ruby cried with a smile as she took back her wallet that Emerald was gracefully handing back to her.

"Heya Ruby! I saw your match, man you guys were awesome! Great teamwork as well," She said. Ruby blushed at the praise. The rest of the team walked up and stood next to Ruby with similar friendly faces. However, the Bumblebee partners felt conflicted, she seem nice enough but there was still this… dark feeling they were getting from the girl.

"I heard your team progressed to the next round. How'd they do?" Blake asked. Emerald looked up as she recalled the battle. It was one-sided, and efficient. Cinder had recovered and returned with a burning passion to push forward their plans, because of this, she had ordered her team to end the other team as swiftly as they could. It seemed that Cinder was still in a foul mood about a certain enigmatic librarian.

"…Really well," Emerald chuckled slightly. Ruby lightened up a bit at that.

"Hey that's great! Why don't we all go out and get some food together? You know, to celebrate!" Ruby asked. Emerald immediately looked hesitant, something which set off alarm bells in the heads of Blake and Yang. Why was this girl acting so… strange, and why did she choose to approach them?

They weren't exactly friends with each other… well maybe with Ruby, but Weiss and Blake virtually had no interaction with anyone on Emerald's team besides her, and Yang had met her a few times on the off-hand, this girl was an enigma that the bumblebee pair couldn't figure out.

"Oh, gosh that would be… awesome, but my teammates are all kind of… introverted," Emerald replied awkwardly, gesturing to her grey-haired teammate who stood a few meters away and was looking at boots and… smelling them? Yang grimaced at that. Regardless of this girl's dark energy, her teammate _was_ weird.

"…Really socially awkward," She cringed a little as she chuckled lightly. Weiss looked a bit grossed out.

"Yeah… we can see that," She replied slowly. Emerald perked up again.

"So yeah, Merc and I are heading onto the doubles round. What about you guys, have you chosen yet?" She asked. Ruby grinned.

"Ah yes! As leader of this team, I've thought long and hard about this decision-"

"We put it to a vote," Weiss intervened causing Ruby to splutter.

"Uh-bleh-arg… - I decided to put it to a vote," Ruby stumbled over her words adorably.

"It's me and Blake," Yang said gesturing to her jet-black haired teammate. Blake sighed and raised her hands in a mockingly dramatic fashion.

"Yay," She stated unenthusiastically.

"I still think it's a bad idea considering what you two had to go through earlier last week," Weiss commented with a bit of concern in her voice.

"Ah we're fine Weiss-cream. Nice to know that you care! Love ya!" Yang teased. Weiss merely rolled her eyes and turned away, muttering obscenities to herself.

"That's… uh... great!" Emerald laughed awkwardly. "Don't expect me and Merc to go easy on you if we meet down the road." Yang smirked back, knowing that the girl was hiding something, she decided that she'd add a bit of her own fire.

"Good, because if we do, then you'll need all the luck in the world to win," Yang grinned. Emerald narrowed her eyes for a moment before smiling.

"You got some fire. I like that. Anyway, Merc and I are off to watch a few more fights. See you later!" Emerald called out as she left. The rest of team RWBY waved as the two parties walked in opposite directions.

"See you later!" Ruby called out. Silently Yang nudged Blake. The girl with the black bow turned and nodded.

"She's trouble," Yang whispered.

"Oh yeah. We need to be careful. Qrow said that the people that are planning Vale's downfall are here. It could be anyone, and so far, she's the first person I've met to have that kind of energy. We have to talk to Gohan about what that means," Blake whispered back.

"Agreed." Yang nodded silently.

* * *

"You know, I didn't exactly build this place for you to sit up here and drink, Qrow," Gohan commented as he floated in front of the man. Said man was sitting with his legs dangling off the edge of the Lookout, countless bottles of whiskey and other poisonous substances scattered around him. He gave Gohan a smirk.

"Hey come on, give me a break. This is the perfect spot. No interruptions, no annoyances, I can just sit up here and watch the fights as they go on down. As boring as they are, it's entertaining. Watching those stupid kids fumble about…" Qrow trailed off as he took another swig out of his glass. Gohan rolled his eyes as he sat down next to him.

The smell was repulsive. He hated the smell of alcohol, but then again, he had learned to deal with things he hated nowadays, like letting Androids roam free and not being able to do anything about it.

"You find anything? Sense anything? I've got nothing," Gohan asked. Qrow shook his head.

"Salem's been quieter than a mouse and Cell is pretending he doesn't exist. I don't know what the hell they're waiting for, but it looks like it's putting me on edge. It's why I can't stop drinking," He said as he took another sip. Gohan sighed. "Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing…" the alcoholic muttered glaring at the bottle in his hands.

"What about the infiltrators. I haven't been able to sense anything. They're being very cautious, but I think I'm more concerned about Cell right now. Who knows how many people he's murdered," the half-Saiyan stated with a scowl. Qrow reflected that same scowl. The older man knew of threats, but he had never seen anything like Cell before. That monster was something that would forever haunt his dreams.

"You know, I thought I'd seen everything. With Salem and the Maidens. Sheesh. It's one crazy world we live in. I'm just glad no one else I care about has been hurt," Qrow grunted sourly. Gohan could only look at the dust-powered television that Qrow had set up here. He couldn't shake this feeling of dread, like everything was going to come crashing down.

Whatever Cell was up to bothered him greatly. The being had the cells of so many people. Krillin, himself, Vegeta, Piccolo, his father… where did it end with that monster? Just what the hell was Dr. Gero trying to accomplish?

Just what kind of abilities did the creature have? He already demonstrated he could use Tien's Solar Flare and Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon, what other techniques could he use? It was a chilling thought, but what if Cell knew the Kaio-ken? He could sense Piccolo's energy in him, and he could use the Special Beam Cannon, does that mean the same thing goes with his father?

And where does it stop?

Could he use the Destructo Disk? Krillin was able to dismember Freeza's tail and he was several times stronger than him... what could it do in the hands of someone that rivals his own power? These were techniques designed to level the playing field against stronger opponents. They would be downright devastating against someone of comparable power.

Another thought plagued his mind. Cell spoke of his perfect evolution, though the question still remained... just what did it _do_? Did it allow him to use more of his friends techniques, thus making him into the _perfect fighter_? Or did it increase his raw power? Perhaps it was some frightening combination of the two… Furthermore he seems to be willing to go to great lengths in order to attain it, he's already shown his willingness to kill and absorb people.

Was there any other line to cross?

It didn't matter what it was, what he was willing to do to get it. All that Gohan knew is that he had to stop him from reaching it, no matter the cost.

"That's why we have to kill this thing before it can hurt those we care about. The first chance we get, we must destroy Cell, and we must stop these people trying to bring down Vale. I can't stand seeing people get hurt… I just can't… not anymore," the son of Goku spoke as he clenched his fists. Painful memories of watching his friends get slaughtered by the Androids surfacing.

"Same here kid. I can't stand by and watch people die, or leave without doing something about it. My sister walked out, and Summer… well… I don't know what the hell happened to her, but I promised it wouldn't happen to anyone else. It's what pushed me to research life energy all those years ago," Qrow admitted. Gohan looked towards him for more. The man provided.

"After Summer disappeared, I was lost. I couldn't face Taiyang, her husband and my best friend. Raven refused to speak to me even after walking out on us. I had to find answers. That power you displayed… I had to find the source of it, and I found it after a few years of looking and I couldn't believe it," Qrow explained as he sat up.

"It was like opening up a door into a whole new world of possibilities. It changed me into the man you see today. Overconfident, arrogant in his own abilities. No one could even hold a candle to me. Qrow Branwen, the terrifying Crow in the shadows. Even my own sister was hesitant to approach me," Qrow muttered darkly, a sliver of hurt lacing his voice.

"So, you started working for Ozpin. Going out on those long missions Yang occasionally talks about," Gohan concluded. The older huntsman could only nod in response.

"I became so disconnected from everyone here that I left. I only talked to Ozpin, and occasionally Glynda and Ironwood when I had to. I dedicated my life to being a huntsmen... to tracking down this Salem character. Ozpin had told me how dangerous she was, and I figured with my skillset I would be able to survive," Qrow elaborated. He scowled while Gohan listened intently.

"Even with my skills… I couldn't even set foot in the Grimm lands without her sending an army after me. I've only ever seen her once. She stood atop a mountain, watching as her Grimm army charged towards me. She's a monster. The things she can do… but none of that compared the kind of things I saw you and that damn Android do," Qrow growled as his hands clenched tightly. The half-Saiyan sighed.

"I've been through several battles in my life. Freeza was probably the worst, up there next to the Androids. At least against the Androids I felt like we had a fighting chance, no matter how bleak it seemed. Fighting Frieza was horrifying. I've never been more scared in my life," Gohan explained. Qrow sympathized with him. Gohan decided to explain.

"Back where I come from, well... I guess even here he would be a threat. Freeza was an intergalactic warlord who ruled over and enslaved countless races and killed those who wouldn't submit or had something he wanted. I guess people referred to him as a God, because he was powerful enough to destroy a planet with the flick of his finger, and played with lives like one," Gohan elaborated. Qrow sighed in an exhausted manner.

"Jesus, I'm glad I've never met him," He stated thankfully. Gohan nodded in agreement. He wished he had never met Freeza. The Androids were something, but that… well, Gohan had no words to describe that horrible being.

"I was unlucky enough to meet him on Namek while my father's friend Krillin and I searched for the Dragon Balls. They are magical artefacts created by the Namekians that hold the power to grant any wish. They could do anything, revive the dead… grant immortality, you name it," the boy explained. Qrow perked up at that.

"Are you serious? Something like that exists?" He asked. Even in his drunken slur he was still flabbergasted at the thought of the power the Dragon Balls.

"My home had a set, but they were tied to our Guardian's life, and when he died in battle, those Dragon Balls became useless. To revive the friends that we had lost in a horrible battle, we had to journey to Namek, the place of their origin, to revive our friends," Gohan further explained. Qrow looked up into the sky, as if to gaze at a fleeting dream forever lost from his grasp, so close, yet so far away.

"So, you're saying if we developed the capability to travel through space, we could potentially visit this... Namek?" Qrow asked. Gohan nodded.

"Yeah, but Remnant doesn't have that sort of technology as far as I know," Gohan stated glumly. Qrow sighed. He didn't either. The only person that would know would be Ironwood, and that man had that kind of information locked up tighter than a girl wearing a multiple-lock chastity belt.

"Anyway… we went to Namek and that's where I met Freeza. He was ruthless. He didn't have a single shred of remorse for murdering innocents… He even used the children as bargaining chips and when he got what he wanted, he killed them anyway," Gohan growled as the horrible memories started to resurface. The drunkard merely gazed off into the horizon, a sour look on his face.

"Yeah… there are people like that even here believe it or not, but this Freeza character sounds worse. I can't imagine how bad it must have been for those people. To be so powerless…" Qrow trailed off. Gohan lightened up a bit though.

"Well it's over now. My father defeated Freeza and put an end to his tyranny," Gohan finished, standing up. He and Qrow could hear that team JNPR was called to the arena, and Gohan didn't want to miss that fight. Qrow smiled.

"Well, it's all in the past now. The present is now. You've shaped up to become a powerful young man. I bet your father is proud of you kid, don't tell yourself otherwise," Qrow smirked. Gohan didn't respond to that. Would his father be proud of him? Would he really? Even after all of his failures to stop the evil and protect the innocent on not one but _two_ planets? Was he even worthy of something like that from his father?

A buzz from the man's scroll made the veteran roll his eyes.

"Urg, Ozpin is calling me. I better go see what he wants," Qrow groaned as he dived off the Lookout.

"Catch you later kid. Good talk, we should do it more often," He called out before disappearing. Gohan was left alone on the Lookout. Thoughts of his past plaguing his mind. He had fought for so long, defended as much as he could. He couldn't… he wouldn't stop now.

" _I will protect this world,_ " Gohan murmured quietly, a silent oath. His father would be proud of him. He could almost feel his father's warm gaze staring down upon him from the Heavens in Otherworld. It was comforting at the very least.

* * *

Pyrrha understood the rules.

No energy blasts or flying. Simple enough. Those were the terms she and the others had agreed on after all. Qrow had made sure to make that very clear that he didn't want them to be causing any unnecessary trouble. It seemed rather obvious very few people can fly and shoot lasers, it would make them stand out like a sore thumb. Even if she could, she wouldn't want to stand out even more than she currently did anyway.

When she walked into that arena with her team she realized one thing the moment the fight started. Since she had spent most of last week intensely training with her energy, she had come so far that her opponents in front of her felt like they were untrained civilians. It was extremely hard not to feel like she had… well, she would describe it as total control over the arena.

"Was this what Yang and Blake felt like when they were fighting earlier?" Pyrrha asked herself quietly. The Bumblebee duo had made sure to warn her how difficult it was to hide the fact they had extra training in a special art when it boosted your combat prowess to insane levels.

She lacked the usual thrill that she had come to associate with combat, there's was no adrenaline rush, no excitement to see what tactics would be employed against her and there was certainly no challenge, not with the opponents she was facing.

In the stands team RWBY was watching the fight along with Gohan. He sat next to Yang at the edge of their group and commented on the fight. It was clear how talented and powerful Pyrrha was, and it was obvious she was the best one on the field. She hadn't even been hit yet. She moved so fast she was like a blur.

"Whoa… Pyrrha got really good. Like… really good," Ruby stated in absolute awe, as she watched the amazon warrior go into literal free-flow motion in fighting. She was deflecting, blocking and parrying, and delivering blows faster than anyone could even see. She had two people on her, while the sniper held Ren down and another one was battling Jaune. Nora was busy climbing the mountain, heading towards the storm clouds.

The sniper fired at Nora, and Pyrrha reacted in blinding speed. She disappeared from her fight with the two boys, leaving them momentarily stunned, and reappeared in the air, blocking the sniper bullet with her shield. She then spun in mid-air and threw her shield at the hidden sniper.

The sniper fell out of the tree and there was a loud clang that reverberated throughout the arena, she had been slugged by Pyrrha's shield. Pyrrha recalled the shield to her hand and re-engaged the two she was fighting before. Naturally the two seemed to back away from her a bit after that stunt.

"Jeez, subtle much?" Yang whispered to Gohan. Blake could only facepalm. Gohan let out a slight chuckle as the crowd roared Pyrrha's name. Never had anyone seen such a feat, but considering that Pyrrha was renowned as the invincible girl, her doing the impossible was something people seemed to accept blindly. It was almost as if the crowd believed she could do _anything_!

"I don't know how she did that, but that was amazing," Ruby drawled, her mouth watering from the awesomeness of the attack. Weiss looked suspicious. It almost looked like Pyrrha had been floating, the only other she had seen someone perform such a feat was when Gohan obliterated every single Grimm in Vale after the Breach. She had to consider this more before she made any assumptions.

"Did you guys know Pyrrha could do that? I didn't," Ruby asked.

"That sure is something. I haven't seen her do that before," Blake commented rather slowly. It wasn't a lie. She hadn't seen her do _that_ specific move before, but to her it was more about that fact that she knew Pyrrha was now capable feats such as that. The things you could do with life energy… it made you a much better fighter, and it made the future seem less bleak in her eyes.

The fight certainly didn't last long. It was over shortly after it started, Pyrrha wasn't the only cause. Jaune had an acute tactical mind which allowed him to quickly come up with effective plans of attack, Ren was extremely agile, and Nora… just hit incredibly hard with her hammer. Even with only these three the other team didn't stand a chance, adding Pyrrha to the mix just made their victory come sooner.

"And Team JNPR moves onto the doubles round after an incredible performance, well done to them indeed. Please now vacate the colosseum in an orderly fashion," Port announced over the microphone. As people were getting up to leave, Weiss and Ruby spotted a ship fly across the sky, a ship that looked incredibly familiar to Weiss.

"She's here," Weiss breathed out. Ruby looked at her questionably. "My sister! _Winter,_ " Weiss finished. Ruby mouthed an 'Oh' and then moved on to leave the colosseum. Things were starting to look strange, even to her.

She couldn't understand why Atlas had brought in so many ships just for the Vytal Festival.

* * *

Qrow had procrastinated, and now it seemed like he had an actual reason _not_ to go and see Ozpin right away. As the fancy Atlas ship flew through the sky and docked at Beacon Academy, a mischievous grin broke out across his face. The stuck up older Schnee was in town, and he would never miss out on an opportunity to get under her skin.

Making his way to the Beacon Academy campus, he landed and watched Winter disembark and talk with her sister and his youngest niece. Weiss was struggling to make Ruby act proper and said crimsonette was having trouble making a proper first impression. He watched as Ruby comically fell over after trying a proper curtsy.

As they started walking away, he spotted the androids that followed her. The soulless Atlas machines that they advertised and displayed with all of their pride. It slightly sickened him. He was starting to understand exactly where Gohan's hatred of androids were coming from.

Why would you place so much faith in such fragile machines?

Before he even knew it, he had ripped the head off one and dismembered the rest, tossing the head towards the Schnee specialist. Yep, he was definitely drunk. Maybe drinking at this time of the day was a bit too early?

" _Naaa…_ " he thought with a smile.

"Lookie at what have hereee," Qrow slurred. Both Winter and Weiss turned to look at the drunken huntsman. Weiss's eyes widened slightly as she recognised the man as Ruby's uncle. She looked a little hesitant to open her mouth and speak when she remembered the way the man had talked to her back in the hospital.

"Ice _queen,_ " Qrow chuckled as Winter gave him the darkest scowl she could possibly muster. Weiss noted that Qrow had previously referred to her as 'Ice Princess', so she came to the conclusion that his tone and voice was directed at her sister Winter. However, she couldn't figure out for the life of her how the two actually knew each other.

"I hope you realize that you just destroyed Atlas _Military_ property," she snarled in response. Qrow looked around with a dull expression before backing up and raising his hands in mock defense. He knew sarcasm got under her skin, but nothing annoyed her more than blatant disrespect for chain of command. Whenever they crossed paths, he made it his mission to piss her off.

" _Oh!_ Sorry, I mistook this stuff for more… _sentient_ garbage," he mocked. Winter growled as her little sister turned towards her with questions racing through her mind.

"Winter? What's going on? Why is Qrow acting so…" Weiss trailed off. Winter sighed as she opened her mouth to answer her question.

"Disrespectful?" Winter finished for her as she removed her sword from its sheath. "This piece of human filth has always been like this, Weiss. It's up to people like us to remind them of their place in the world," Winter scowled as the harsh words excited her mouth. Weiss felt uncomfortable as she took a few steps back. Qrow cringed a little.

"That was a little harsh, even for you," Qrow noted. Winter's scowl deepened.

"If you don't hold your tongue, then _I'll_ gladly remove it for you!" she exclaimed, pointing her sword at Qrow in a threatening fashion. The man in question looked at her with amusement in his eyes. He remembered the last time this went down, and it didn't end well for her. She was constantly getting into trouble with that short temper of hers.

"You really oughta work on that short fuse there Ice Queen-" he didn't get to finish his sentence as Winter shot forward at blinding speed. Jabbing her rapier towards Qrow, the huntsman avoided them easily, mocking her whilst he did so with an amused smile. Her movements were slow in his eyes, but he would humour her, just as he _always_ did.

"You've improved," he noted as he dodged another strike. "I was under the impression you _Specialists_ sit on your asses all day. I'm clearly wrong on this, aren't I?" a fierce growl from Winter as she upped her aggression told him that he had hit another sore spot. He was on a roll today. He should drink and piss people off more often. It took the edge off the serious life he was leading.

Removing his sword from his back, he parried her strikes, watching the sparks fly and dance around the connecting metals. His smirk grew as Winter's facial expression was reigned back into a more neutral stance as she managed to quell her initial anger. The drunkard knew he had to be careful now. When she started thinking, she started attacking properly.

"Find any nice boys to melt that _icy_ heart of yours yet?" he grinned. Winter growled and broke the sword lock. Qrow momentarily cheered silently as he had successfully managed to get under her skin. Now she was angry. He blocked a few vicious strikes, aimed to cause pain and incapacitate. She was _really_ gunning for him this time.

"Ah… still a virgin? I wonder why…" he mockingly stated. Winter was now beyond furious as their battle sped up to incredible speeds. She had nothing on Cell or Gohan, and Qrow was now much more used to watching and being in life or death situations. Fighting Winter like this was like swimming in the kiddie pool.

"I _hate_ you," she growled as they entered another sword lock. Qrow brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes and looked into hers.

"I think you're lying to yourself. I think you love it when I tease you," he smirked. Winter once again broke the sword lock and aimed to take out his legs. She succeeded, but Qrow seemed to hang in the air a little too long for it to be considered normal. In fact, the amount of time he was in the air threw off her combo.

She was shoved back by the immense power that Qrow struck her with. He landed and beckoned her to attack. This pretentious old man never seemed to know when to quit did he? How dare he antagonize her like this! She wanted so badly to teach him a lesson, but she couldn't! No matter how hard she tried, the man had her outclassed in every single way.

" _I'll get you,_ " she thought viciously to her herself. She brought her sword down to the ground in an attempt to summon, but her actions were interrupted when a large, firm hand was placed on her arm, restricting her to do so.

"Schnee! What do you think you're doing!?" Ironwood demanded. Her reaction was immediate, and it caused Qrow to let out a small chuckle. Her flustered expression gave him a satiable amount of amusement.

"General Ironwood, Sir! I-I can explain!" she stuttered. Qrow raised a hand.

"She attacked first," a mischievous smirk on his face. Winter looked at him in horror before turning back to Ironwood who was currently scowling at her. She didn't see this ending well for her, and once again, Qrow had gotten her into trouble with her superiors.

"We will discuss this later, but right now, we have been requested by Professor Ozpin to meet in his office," he stated as he turned around to leave. Winter turned and looked at Qrow. The man shrugged as he walked passed her, bumping her shoulder as he did. She shook with rage, but managed to calm herself by taking a deep breath.

That man would drive her to the brink of insanity, and it seemed there was nothing she could do to stop it.

* * *

It wasn't long before Gohan found himself inside Ozpin's office. The man had requested that he meet him there, but what Gohan wasn't expecting was a small party. Ironwood and someone else he didn't recognise where already there when he arrived, Ozpin entered shortly after he got there with Qrow and Glynda in tow.

"Thank you for meeting us here Gohan on such short notice," Ozpin started. Gohan frowned, wondering what the commotion was all about. He also noted what appeared to be an older version of Weiss in the room. Just by looking at her, he could tell she was her older sister.

"Sure, it's no big deal. Now what's this about?" Gohan asked. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the woman he didn't recognise stepped forward angrily.

"What were you thinking?!" She demanded, looking at Qrow. Ironwood stepped up to back her up.

"If you were one of my men I would have you shot!" Ironwood growled towards Qrow. The drunkard rolled his eyes and took out his flask, unscrewing it.

"If I was one of your men I'd shoot myself," Qrow deadpanned. Gohan chuckled at the comeback. It sounded like something Piccolo or Vegeta would say.

"I wouldn't condone his actions, but retaliating in the way you did, certainly didn't help the situation." Glynda added. The white-haired woman growled.

"He was drunk!" Winter scowled.

"He's always drunk!" Glynda retorted. Everyone looked at Qrow as he was busy pouring more alcohol down his throat. He noticed them looking and pulled the flask away from his mouth, looking rather sheepish and uncaring. He shrugged it off and kept drinking causing Gohan to sigh.

"Seriously you need to break that habit," Gohan suggested. Qrow smirked.

"Ain't happening," He retorted. Ozpin sighed. Now it's time to get down to business. Gohan turned to Ozpin.

"Alright Ozpin, what's going on?" Gohan asked. Qrow scoffed.

"I'd like to know that myself. Why do we have an army sitting outside in the open like that? And why did you let her in here?" Qrow asked gesturing to the silver haired woman. Ozpin sighed and looked to Ironwood. The man sighed.

"The Bio-Mechanical Android we know as Cell has been tracked here to Vale," Ironwood started as he placed his scroll down on Ozpin's desk. It synced with the technology and uploaded a holographic image of the Green Menace himself. Gohan and Qrow shuddered. It was picture perfect, the nightmare himself.

"That's impossible. I would have sensed him!" Gohan denied. Ironwood sighed.

"He recently broke into the Schnee Dust Company's headquarters and made off with a vault-load of dust and _something_ else. We've tracked him here, and what he plans to do with it, we have no idea. That, and we needed to act as our enemies are making their moves," Ironwood informed. Qrow growled.

"What happened to being discreet? Do you realise what the people are thinking out there!? You brought an army to Vale. They're already starting to piece it together Jimmy!" Qrow snapped. Winter stepped forward.

"General." She corrected Qrow. He snarled in her direction.

"Whatever. Point is we are trying to keep this on the downlow. The infiltrators, Cell. They are evils in this world that no one even knows about, and I don't know about you, but I'd rather keep it that way. So, _James_ , when you brought your army to Vale, did you think you were being discreet, or did you just not give a damn!?" Qrow snapped. Ironwood sighed.

"Discreet wasn't working. People _are_ noticing!" Ironwood snapped back, as he brought up another set of holograms. Pictures of villages and small towns that had been hit, each of them had a date on them. Clothes lay scattered in the pictures. It was a horrifying scene to look at, even Ozpin was appalled.

"We've been tracking this creature, and he has left no one alive in his wake. I have reason to believe that I brought my army here for one purpose, and that was not for the infiltrators Qrow. This army is for Cell. I don't care what it takes, he will be destroyed." Ironwood declared. Qrow stepped away, looking at the images. He turned to Gohan who was just staring at the holographic images, a mixture of shock and terror on his face.

"All those people…" He whispered. He balled his fists. The alcoholic scoffed.

"You think your army is going to do any good against that kind of monster? Gohan and I have fought him. He's nothing like what we've ever faced before. Let me tell you, your army is about as useless and helpless as the people in those villages were," Qrow replied dangerously. Glynda growled.

"Qrow!" She hissed.

"No! I'm serious. We've seen the things he can do. So, tell me, is an army of soulless machines enough to stop this kind of monster? No, don't be so idealistic. We are going to need something a lot more powerful to take down Cell, and all the while we have infiltrators that we don't even know the identities of!" Qrow shouted.

"That's enough!" Ozpin bellowed standing up. The room went silent as the attention fell on him solely. The headmaster picked up his cane and walked over to the window and looked out upon the Atlas fleet patrolling the skies. It was easy to tell when Ozpin was angry. A green aura radiated off him. It was a bit chilling, but at the same time, it was controlled.

"If we don't keep our heads on straight, then we won't survive the days to come. This is the truth. While the Infiltrators after Amber are a critical concern, the looming threat that Cell brings is something even greater than the maidens falling into the wrong hands," Ozpin stated. The room remained quiet before Qrow spoke up.

"What are you saying Oz?" Qrow asked. Ozpin turned to them, a dark look on his face.

"I'm saying that if we don't find a replacement for Amber before the fighting starts, then we may lose her to the enemy. However, in the face of Cell, if it requires that we divert our attention from Amber and the Infiltrator to combat Cell, then that's what we must do," Ozpin countered. Qrow and Glynda's eyes widened.

"You'd let the enemy take her?" Glynda asked, clearly shocked at the thought process behind the headmaster. Ozpin frowned.

"No. Not if we find a replacement for her. She is losing time, and time is not a luxury we have right now. If we can't agree on a replacement for Amber, and Cell shows his face. Then we are to combat Cell. Losing Amber is a big loss, but letting Cell destroy Vale is something I don't wish to think about," Ozpin replied grimly. Qrow was silent, but he understood where he was coming from.

"I don't believe this…" Glynda groaned in disbelief as she stepped away. She wasn't used to this. Having an infiltrator was enough already. Now this monster was looming over their heads and there didn't seem to be anything capable of stopping it right now.

"Believe me, this is the last thing I want. Which is why I requested that you join us Winter. I know Ironwood has informed you of Amber's condition and her circumstance. We need a transfer as soon as possible," Ozpin said as he stood up. Winter looked at the man while Qrow scowled.

"Oz…" He warned. Ozpin looked at Qrow and scowled.

"What will you have me do Qrow? You refuse Ms. Rose, and Ms. Valkyrie I will agree with you on that. But your reasoning for Ms. Schnee is misplaced. Weiss's abilities are quite extraordinary and she has the correct and stable mindset to be a candidate for the transfer," the headmaster voiced. Qrow bit his lip. It was his personal bias after all. He was just worried about Jacques. That political prick would do anything to get his hands-on power.

"Winter," Ozpin addressed the woman. She looked at the silver haired professor with an unsure look on her face.

"Yes sir?" She responded politely. Ozpin sighed a little.

"What is your relationship with your father, and would you happen to know the relationship between Weiss and your father? I know very little of the man, but I do know he is not very fond of Huntsman," Ozpin asked. Winter sighed as she thought of the man she once called a father.

"I have very little to do with the man after I enlisted as a Specialist in the Atlas Military. I hardly talk with him. My little brother Whitley takes after him, so I talk with him even less. Weiss's connection with our father is about the same since she enlisted in your school," Winter replied with certainty. She despised that man.

Jacques. Nothing stained her mouth more than speaking that name, aside from talking to Qrow. That man wasn't even a Schnee by blood. He was a business man that knew how to handle his lien, and manage businesses. Who he backstabbed for personal gain, or dealt with was none of her business, but he held hardly any love for his family, just its name.

"Now the important question. Would Weiss accept the offer to be the next Fall Maiden?" Ozpin asked seriously. Winter held her tongue for a few seconds. She had to think on this. Ever since Weiss was a kid, all she wanted to do was become a huntress and protect the people. People like the White Fang scared her, and she wanted to be the shield against them for the people who couldn't defend themselves.

The answer was obvious.

"She wouldn't hesitate to accept Sir. I will make sure she-" Ozpin cut her off.

"I don't want to force this on her Winter. Weiss is the only other candidate that would work. Pyrrha Nikos was my first option, Weiss was my second. They are the only two that I can see would work. Pyrrha has since declined the offer," Ozpin lied. Qrow looked at the man. The only people who knew about Gohan and the others, was him and Ozpin. _He_ wanted to make it stay that way.

"I see," Winter murmured quietly. Ozpin sat back down in his chair.

"Talk with her about it. This is something she must accept willingly. I will not force this upon her," Ozpin finished. Winter nodded in acceptance.

"Of course, Sir," She bowed. This meant she could spend time with her sister. The only one in her family besides her mother that she could look at with affection and love. Weiss was her baby sister, and although she didn't show it most of the time, Winter loved her more-so than ever, like any big sibling would.

"Then I guess you better go see Weiss. The sooner she accepts this the better," Qrow cut in. He wasn't happy about this, but if he could keep Weiss away from Jacques, then there would be no problems. It seemed Winter got that message as well as she hesitantly nodded in Qrow's direction. He just winked at her. She felt bile crawl up her throat before she brushed past him and exited the room.

"Now is the time where we must tread lightly. Any false move and our enemy will punish us for it. Salem is watching, and Cell is waiting." Ozpin said. Gohan silently nodded. There was a lot of information to take in here. Weiss was picked for the Maiden candidate, and Cell was in Vale… somehow. It still bothered him that he hadn't sensed the monster when he came close.

Wherever he was, it was too close for Gohan or Qrow to feel even remotely safe.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Yay! Finished! What a long chapter aye? Lot's of stuff happened, but at the same time, nothing too much happened. Big set up for the Volume 3. Now I have to admit, Volume 3 isn't actually going to last that long. From what I can see, it's about 3-4 chapters at most, including this one. That being said, the chapters are at least 15-20k words in range, so I hope that makes up for it.**

 **Now some of you might be disappointed or annoyed. It may feel like Yang and Blake recovered way to fast. It may seem like author's intervention just for the sake of keeping Volume 3 on track with Cannon. I can tell you this. It's not. There is a reason they are healing much faster than usual. Especially Yang.**

 **I'm no doctor or nurse, so I'm not going to sit here and pretend like I know how long it is to recover from critical injuries, but I can say that it's _definitely_ not that short. I'm going to point out that Blake's injury was internal, and more around bruising and internal damage while Yang's was straight up penetration (no pun intended).**

 **The recovery time for them was about a week and a half until they were back to normal.**

 **Why did Blake heal fast? High aura reserves thanks to her novice training in energy. Why did Yang heal so quickly? Well… that is something else, and it's something I've been alluding for a while now. There is a reason, trust me. I've foreshadowed it.**

 **Now… I also tried my best when it came to the girls dealing with the aftermath of the encounter. Some of you may feel like I went overboard with Pyrrha, didn't do enough with Blake, and horribly misjudged Yang's reaction considering how she acted when she got her arm chopped off. I'm going to explain myself here.**

 **In cannon, Yang was pretty torn up after the Fall of Beacon. No doubt she learned that Blake had run off, Pyrrha was dead, and to couple it off, she lost an arm. In this story, the aftermath for her is just dealing with the stress of the incident. No one died, and Cell was the one to run off. She didn't lose any limbs.**

 **Knowing how out of his league she was. All three of the girls are heavily affected mentally. Yang is just… conflicted. She reacts with both Anger and Fear. Blake is kind of the same, but on a lesser scale. Pyrrha watched it all happened so naturally she is a emotional mess.**

 **I'm done justifying myself. I tried my best to simulate what I thought would be the most logical reaction to the aftermath of that fight. I'm a novice writer. I'm not the best, ahahaha.**

* * *

 **Review Responses:**

 **Sparkthedog:**

 **That was the song I was listening to when I wrote the emotional scenes. It fits so well!**

 **Berserkerzero7:**

 **I'm glad you liked the chapter! Chapter Six was one I had been itching to get to since I started the story. The reveal of the evil that Remnant is clearly not ready for. I love it. Also, I'm glad you liked the fact that I gave everyone a role in fighting. Not many stories do this, and I feel like it's such a waste of character. I wanted everyone to be relevant, and present. They all had to experience what Cell had to offer.**

 **Atrum Ferox:**

 **Yang does seem to get shit thrown her way doesn't she? Must be all the puns. Originally, the draft of Chapter Six only had Blake get hurt. Yang was actually the one to save her, but I changed it because I knew nobody would buy the horse-crap I had written in its place. It was one of those changes that required heavy revision of this chapter.**

 **Absorbing Grimm was a negative from the start. Grimm are lifeless, savage creatures which lack an Aura. They aren't natural. This opens up a significant weakness that a certain _someone_ might use against him later in the story. Also yes! Evil vs. Evil. I've made it pretty clear this chapter that Cell is a direct threat to Salem. All that I can say is that she's aware… and she is not the least bit happy.**

 **I have had a number of people tell me that they'd hunt me down and kill me if I did WhiteRose. So put your worries to rest because I've decided against WhiteRose. They will be best friends at best.**

 **SomeOne Random:**

 **Yes! It must be! Yang's suffering must continue! I'm joking of course, but not really. Shit's going to go south soon. Let's just leave it on the note that the suffering is far from over.**

 **Thanks! Cell was the big bad from the very beginning. He is my favourite DBZ villain and quite honestly, I feel like its fate demanding that he and Gohan be the ones to face off against each other. The problem about him reaching his perfect form wasn't too hard to fix, but it requires a lot of reworks. I won't say anything, but him reaching his Perfect form is going to be an interesting occurrence.**

 **Now I know what you're going to say. Blake and Yang recovered too fast. Yes, I know, but there are reasons behind it. In Yang's case especially. I'm unsure if it was Fanfiction or the actual show, but I swear that Aura has healing properties, and since I've already established that Ki enhances Aura, the healing process is sped up for them.**

 **Yang's is also this, but at the same time, there is an explanation as to why she was able to heal a fatal wound so fast. And no, it's not Namekian voodoo mumbo jumbo.**

 **Goku Black SSR:**

 **Yep. Cell is here and ready to teach Remnant what true power is!**

 **Yang's development is incredibly important for me. With this story, I'm trying my best to develop her, Blake, Pyrrha and Gohan. These are the main four I will be focusing on, but during Vol.3 and the next couple of chapters, I will be bringing Weiss and Ruby into spotlight of development as well. They'll get more screen time.**

 **Lightningblade49:**

 **I wouldn't count Salem out just yet. She may not be nearly as strong enough to face Gohan or Cell head on, but she will certainly have her advantages over the two. Just because she lacks physical power, doesn't mean she is weak. Not by a long shot.**

 **JessesanMan:**

 **Oi you. Stop it.**

 **One of those is right. Not saying which one though. =D**

 **Raffiki:**

 **Thank you! I try my best. It's not easy to do a DBZ crossover. It's incredibly difficult to get right when it comes to balance, but I think I've done a good job.**

 **When it comes to this chapter, I've tried my hand at exploring character emotions and reactions to the aftermath of the encounter. It may seem like Gohan is getting over it rather quickly, but just note that he was never one to beat himself up for too long. Yeah sure, he does it, but from what I know of his character, he would get over it rather quickly. I will try not to take this route. I'll try and make him seem more human than he really is.**

 **Cell is my favourite Villain. Nuff said.**

* * *

 **Alright guys, that's it. Get ready for the storm, because it's coming, and it ain't gonna be pretty!**


	8. The Precipice of Despair

**A/N:**

 **Hello everyone! It's been quite some time hasn't it? Another large chapter for you all. These chapters are seemingly getting larger each time I decide to update eh? Now I have something to say before we get into the chapter.**

 **Dmoose18, unfortunately has had to leave for the Summer break and he will not be returning for some time. Anyone who is waiting for his Warriors of Legend is going to be disappointed seeing as he does not have access to technology for about three months. Such is life it seems. Meanwhile I will continue to update and try my best to keep the quality up to standard. There were quite a lot of errors in the last chapter, so I've tried to make a solid effort to remove them in this chapter.**

 **Also, by the time I update again for chapter nine, chapter one will be reworked.**

 **I will not be doing review responses this chapter, instead I will make sure to do them in chapter nine.**

 **With that being said, please enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: The Precipice of Despair

Cinder Fall stood at the window of her dorm, gazing out over the Kingdom of Vale with a careful eye, and a thoughtful expression. She was not one to panic when hearing about certain things that didn't go according to plan, but right now, she was feeling the heat as the reality of her plans were starting to fall apart all around her. The pressure that was sitting upon her shoulders was immense, and the price of falling was not one she wished to think about.

Roman had been captured. It was a strategic move on her part to get Roman into enemy territory, but now things were different. His role in the plan was rendered almost obsolete by the fact that the virus hadn't been successfully uploaded into Atlas's systems. Salem had promised her that things would be okay, but apparently, according to Neo, there was no way to take control of Atlas's new robotic army they had stored away in their ships.

" _This is terrible… what am I supposed to do now?_ " she wondered. She turned her head slightly to look at Neo, who was currently swinging her legs back and forth as she sat on one of the beds. She was playing with her scroll silently as if nothing in the world would faze her. Cinder couldn't understand the mute girls motivations, but as long as Roman was okay, she was loyal.

" _If I can't use Atlas's weaponry, then I need to make sure they don't get the chance to activate. They need to be destroyed before we make our move. The White Fang and the Grimm should be enough to bring Vale to its knees,_ " she tried to convince herself. The rest of the room was empty, save for herself and Neo. Emerald and Mercury were at Amity Colosseum watching the fights.

"Neo," Cinder started. The Ice cream themed girl looked up from her scroll and smiled at the red queen. It was a strange smile, and it always managed to unnerve Cinder. Such an innocent, misleading smile. She absently wondered how many people she had lured into a false sense of security, just to strike them down when she had them seduced with her innocence.

"When you break Roman free, destroy the ships before they have a chance to deploy the machines. We cannot let them have even a chance of winning this battle," Cinder ordered. Neo merely nodded in understanding and returned to her scroll. Whatever she was doing, she found herself engrossed in what she was watching. A small peek at the screen showed that she was watching news related pieces on this new terrorist named Cell.

It was a name she was hearing quite frequently lately. It had been a week since his discovery at Newville town, and to be quite honest, Cinder wasn't sure what to think of this new 'monster'. On one hand, this new terrorist seemed to be quite intimidating and terrifying. A single being capable of wiping clean a town with a population of about fifty thousand people overnight was chilling. On the other hand, it was an issue Cinder didn't want to occupy herself with.

That was until Salem had contacted her with a warning. An ominous piece of advice so filled with dread that she couldn't help but feel a cold terror wrap itself around her body. Sometimes she found herself short of breath, and she wasn't sure what her instincts were trying to tell her.

" _It's targeting the Maidens… killing them from what she said but, why would he kill them? Salem had said it had something to do with the anomaly's ability to absorb power,_ " Cinder thought to herself as she returned to gazing out the window in thought. The last thing she wanted was more competition, and she _definitely_ did not want a target painted on her back. Fall Maiden or not, she didn't want to see what that monster was capable of doing to her.

" _Whatever this… **thing** is, it sounds like a parasite. The Maidens are beings of ultimate power. If he finds me,_ " she cut herself off, trying to steer her mind away from the brutal thoughts that invaded her consciousness. Whether this monster appeared in human form or not was unclear to her. There had been no visual description of the creature, just that it had been identified, and labeled one of the most dangerous monsters to walk Remnant. If Salem had contacted her to warn her, then this creature's power was something to be avoided at all costs.

The media had and worldwide television news stations had a ball with the story. Thousands dead, and they could only speculate that it was a new type of Grimm. Salem would have known whether or not it was a Grimm, and she hadn't given _that_ information to Cinder, so it only stood to reason that the new player was something new entirely. She shuddered to think of what it looked like.

No way could it possibly be human.

She saw from the media broadcasts what the monster had done.

" _I need to make sure I move soon, or I'm going to miss my chance. I **need** that power._ "

Cinder brought out her scroll, gazing down at the screen as a weak smile graced her face. In amidst of all the uncertainties, at least she had a good set of cards in her hands. While that boy had interrupted the process of uploading the virus to Vale's CCT tower, she had neglected to see if she had any success from that espionage mission. The virus had only been _partially_ uploaded. It did not have enough power to give her access to the Atlas Army like she had intended.

What it did do however, was give her the ability to exploit the matching system in the Vytal Festival. It had been a welcome surprise that she had at least that much going for her. A twinkle of hope lit her eyes ablaze as she scrolled through the participants. A few clicks later, and the matchups had been rearranged to her liking.

She chuckled sinisterly.

" _Not all is lost it seems._ "

* * *

When Gohan met with the girls on the Lookout, he explained to them what he had learned from the meeting. He recited everything he could remember, and made sure to bring up the fact Cell was in Vale now. Needless to say, he could visibly see the girls shake in absolute fear after feeding them that piece of information.

"Cell's _here_!?" Yang exclaimed. There was genuine terror in her eyes. A sinking feeling of guilt clawed its way into Gohan's stomach. The memories of Yang almost dying bringing a cold sweat to his skin and making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. It was a terrible memory. One he wished he could change, but nonetheless, wasn't going to go away anytime soon. Blake and Pyrrha had similar reactions.

"He's here? How's that even _possible_!? We would have _sensed_ him!" Blake countered. She had a mixture of anger and fear in her eyes. Another load of guilt hit the half-Saiyan. He had let Blake get hurt in a battle that she was woefully unprepared to face. They had all been so out of their depth that they had been lucky to come out of that encounter alive.

"This is _insane_ ," Pyrrha whispered before looking up at Gohan. "We _have_ to go find him! If he's in Vale, every innocent human and faunus are in danger! We can't let him absorb those people like he did in Newville!" the desperation flooded her eyes like a tidal wave. It was almost enough to almost break Gohan's calm facade. It was tough enough knowing that the green bio-android was down there somewhere, but in a Kingdom where millions of people lived as well.

"They would be in danger if they knew. Cell isn't stupid. If he started absorbing people, everyone would notice, and we'd be onto him before he'd have a chance to escape. He's here for a reason, and I can only assume it has something to do with his evolution," his eyes hardened towards the three girls.

"You think he's after the Maiden? She's under Beacon isn't she?" Blake questioned. Gohan could only frown in response. The current fall Maiden was a sitting duck. Locked up in a life support pod right under the school. If Cell could sense life energy, then it wouldn't be long until he made his own way towards the defenseless girl.

"It's either that…" he swallowed hard as he looked up at the three of them. "Or he's after people with a much higher power level than usual," he finished. It took the girls a few moments to process what he had just said before the realization kicked in. Gohan could have sworn he'd seen Blake's eyes dilate slightly. Yang's fists shook in both anger and fear, while Pyrrha's knees looked like they'd give way.

"He's after _us_!?" the lilac blonde exclaimed.

"I can't be certain…" Gohan stated with a fierce frown. "But we can't rule it out,"

"How did he even _get_ here?" Blake asked.

"Unfortunately, from what the General told us, we don't know how he got here. He's somewhere in Vale, and he's being very patient, not to mention _quiet_. He stole a concerning amount of Dust from the SDC, and he managed to get his hands on something _else_. Ironwood didn't seem to want to share what _exactly_ he found," Gohan informed. Yang merely groaned.

"Weiss is going to have a fit when she finds out," the blonde stated with a weak smile. Blake sighed.

"She probably already knows," the cat faunus pointed out. Pyrrha, sensing that the conversation was starting to derail, she focused the group back on track. It was no surprise that Cell would be trying to acquire all the Dust he could find. The monster even stated it helped him towards his evolution.

"With all the towns and villages he's raided, I'm not surprised he's stealing Dust. He kept going on about how he needed to reach his 'perfect' evolution. A monster like that is going to explore every avenue it can to achieve its goals," the redhead stated. The half-Saiyan wasn't that savvy on the history of Dust, and apparently Cell had found a way to absorb the stuff. It was strange and unstable in its raw form. He couldn't possibly guess what kind of crazy powers it was giving the bio-android.

"Whatever he's doing with it, we need to stop it," the half-Saiyan retorted grimly. Pyrrha stood forward, a determined look on her face.

"And where exactly are we supposed to start?" she asked. Gohan sighed as he and his team walked over to the edge of the Lookout and looked towards the horizon where Vale sat, blissfully unaware of the impending danger. Fireworks were starting to go off as the sun dropped behind the distant mountains, casting an ominous shadow across the city. A sea of colorful lights painted the sky above the Kingdom in a jaw dropping light show.

The Vytal Festival had people from all over Remnant. It would make sense that people would be up all night partying and making the most of the occasion.

"We go down there and look for any signs that can point us in the right direction. He can't be above ground. So, we'll check the sewers and tunnels underground," Gohan elaborated. Blake shuddered and went pale while Yang and Pyrrha nodded with conviction on their faces. Gohan eyed Yang carefully. She looked scared, but her strong exterior hid it quite well. Pyrrha had waves of uncertainty in her eyes. The half-Saiyan could tell she was dreading a possible encounter with the green menace.

"I'll go with Blake. Yang and Pyrrha, you take the south side of the city. Blake and I will take the north side. If you find Cell, Do not engage him," he stressed. The look on Gohan's face was almost desperate. The girls could only nod in response. "Flare your energy, to call for help," Gohan stated. Yang's hand drifted to her stomach, a pained look on her face. He could see her fingers twitch as her hand traced over the scar on her mid-section

"Are you sure we're okay on our own?" she asked, her voice sounding uncharacteristically shaky. "Cell almost _killed_ us last time," she finished. She was right, and both Pyrrha and Blake agreed with her. Cell had almost killed them, even with Gohan _and_ Qrow there to help them. However, there was one difference that separated that instance from now.

They knew exactly what kind of power they were going up against.

Gohan merely smiled and placed a hand on her shoulders. She looked up, into his onyx black eyes, while he started back into her beautiful amethyst ones. A tranquil moment between the two. Time almost stopped as their emotions and thoughts aligned. Both of them could read each other like a book. Blake held her breath as she gazed at her partner. Yang was such a hotheaded personality, and it was polarizing seeing her act so… uncertain of something.

"I have faith that you will be able to hold him off. Remember you're not fighting alone. Stick together and watch each other's backs. If you do that, even the strongest of foes will struggle to defeat you," Gohan gave her a reassuring smile. Yang swallowed and nodded. She steeled her nerves and walked back over to stand next to her redheaded companion. The amazon had grown in power substantially since their encounter with Cell. It was almost like she was a totally different person.

"Thanks Gohan," she smiled. She turned to Pyrrha, and the two exchanged a smile of confidence before they jumped off the Lookout and tore through the skies, descending back towards Vale. Gohan turned to see Blake staring at the ground, her eyes lost in deep thought. Her amber orbs seemed to be focused on a single white tile on the ground. She was very still, and Gohan could tell she was terrified with the idea of going up against Cell again.

"You ready?" Gohan asked. Blake sighed as she looked up. Despite how powerful she, Yang and Pyrrha had gotten, she still felt like a mouse compared to the giants that were Gohan and Cell.

"For the _sewers_ , or Cell?" She joked weakly. Gohan chuckled as he rolled his eyes.

"Come on, let's go," He gestured for her to follow as he dived off the edge. Blake followed after him. They zipped through the skies with blinding speed until they reached the part of Vale they wanted to investigate. This side of Vale was rather noisy, and it provided them with the perfect amount of cover to land without causing a scene.

They managed to land and find an entrance to the sewers with haste. It wasn't hard to find, it was a matter of getting Blake down into them which was a problem. Gohan managed to force her down there, much to her dismay. It seemed the raven haired cat faunus wasn't too fond of the sewers. She had a strong shade of green on her face the moment she descended. She had to block her nose with her fingers to stop herself from passing out.

They opted to fly around the tunnels instead of walking. Blake kept close to the ceiling, wanting to be as far away from the toxic sludge as possible. It was relatively quiet, aside from the loud booms from the partying above ground. She kept her eyes open, her racial gifted ability to see in the dark better than any human was extremely helpful in the darkness of the sewers... but being down here was a whole new level of disgusting.

"You know, it's times like these where being a faunus _really_ sucks," Blake groaned sourly. Gohan realized what she meant. The son of Goku wasn't that educated on how different faunus were from humans. All he knew was that they had one specific animal trait, but it seemed that their senses were a little more enhanced than that of a human's.

He chuckled lightly as they flew on. They couldn't find anything related to Cell in the north part of the sewers so they moved to the east part. They were met with an astounding amount of disappointment, silence and hordes of rats. Blake couldn't help but shoot small beams of energy that killed the small rodents. She absolutely hated those things.

When disintegrating sewer rodents started to lose its charm for reducing the stress in this situation, she decided to call Yang on her scroll. Hopefully talking to her cheerful blonde partner would help ease her troubled mind. Gohan paid no attention and continued to lead in front of her while she dialed the number. It rang a few times before the blonde picked up.

"Hey Yang, you guys find anything yet?" Blake asked as her blonde partner picked up the call. Yang sighed dramatically.

"Nothing much over here. Just shit and more shit… _literally,_ " Yang replied. Blake groaned and rolled her eyes. There were moments when Yang's humor brightened up even the darkest moments in team RWBY, but in a situation like this, the blondes jokes did not seem to have the desired effect that Blake would have wished. Tension and a shadow of death seemed to be unaffected by the blondes humor.

"Yeah. _Obviously,_ " she murmured with a tired drawl. "Gohan and I have moved over to the east side of the sewers, are you guys on the west side?" She asked. The blonde merely let loose a whine from the other end of the line. She seemed to be extremely bored, despite showing obvious fear before leaving the Lookout. Blake could hear Pyrrha give Yang a light punch in the arm.

"Ouch-hey!" the girl snapped. Pyrrha merely huffed on the other end of the line. Yang muttered something inaudible before turning her attention back to the call. "Yep, nothing over here. South side was a bust. It doesn't look like Cell is down here in the sewers. Are you sure he's in Vale? I swear I would have sensed him by now if he was down here," Yang questioned. Gohan sighed in frustration. If Cell wasn't down here, then where _was_ he?

"Ironwood told us they had tracked Cell to Vale. Where else could he be?" Gohan stated. Pyrrha's voice cut in on Yang's side.

"Maybe he managed to mislead them? He's certainly proved to be crafty enough, so isn't that a possibility?" Pyrrha echoed from Blake's scroll. "I mean he could be in Vacuo by now for all we know. We all know he can fly. He probably managed to misdirect the Atlas Specialists," the redhead continued. The Saiyan hybrid gave that idea a thought. It was entirely possible that Atlas had been following Cell, and he had juked them out, and escaped.

"Good point, but keep looking. You never know, we might find something down here," Gohan advised. Blake turned off the call and resumed their expedition. As they glided through the darkness of the sewers, Blake turned to Gohan with a rather troubled troubled expression. Her thoughts had drifted back to the time when team RWBY encountered Emerald back at the fairgrounds. She had been meaning to ask Gohan about that dark energy.

"Hey, uh Gohan. Yang and I came across someone today. She had a… dark feeling to her energy. It felt uneasy and… vile. I don't know how to describe it. What does that mean?" She asked. Gohan thought about that for a minute. It could mean a lot of things really. Vegeta always seemed to have a dark energy, and so did Piccolo, but it never felt vile. That normally meant _bad_ intentions.

"A dark energy can mean many things. It's up to interpretation, but my experience with people that have had a dark feeling to their energy are people with dangerous intentions. Perhaps people with intent to do harm to others. Maybe they are selfish and don't care about others and only themselves. It doesn't really mean that they're evil, it means they have only their intentions at heart," he explained. It wasn't the best explanation. Normally he just went with his gut, and most of the time, he ended up right.

"For example," he continued. "You have a mixture but it's mostly composed of a rather light and warm feeling. You want to change the White Fang, right? Bring the faunus and humans closer together. Yang's is warm because she wants to protect those close to her. Pyrrha, well she just doesn't like to watch people suffer," He elaborated. Blake raised an eyebrow at this.

"And what about you? You feel warm to me. What's your drive?" She asked. Gohan looked down a bit as they continued to float down sewer tunnels. A cloud of sadness descended upon his eyes as memories started to replay in his head. The constant fighting with the Androids, and the inability to save the people he was desperately trying to protect.

The pain of loss was something he was well acquainted with.

"I've lost… _so much_ ," he started. There was a mountain of pain behind those words, and Blake could practically feel the emotion. She felt sympathetic, but she couldn't offer comfort because she didn't know what happened to him. However, something told her that maybe she didn't want to know what he had been through.

"A lot of people I used to know were murdered," a dark look formed on his features, mirroring his ominous thoughts. "I don't want anybody to go through what I _had_ to. No human or faunus needs to suffer like I have, " his words were cold, laced with conviction. Blake could feel a chill run down her spine. The look on Gohan's face was one of dread and anger, like the very thought of losing a loved one or a friend infuriated him. She could feel his power flare a little bit, and his hands clenched.

She _was_ at least going to _try_ and comfort him, but unfortunately, she didn't get the chance. Up ahead a figure walked out of the darkness, but it wasn't one either Gohan or Blake were familiar with. This person was clearly a woman. She had long black hair, a mask that reminded Blake of a fierce Grimm. Her power was frighteningly large, and her intimidating appearance forced Blake to reach for her weapon instinctively.

She wore a black robe with red armor and she also had thigh high black boots. At her side, she had a sheath with multiple different colors on it, and inside of it, was a singular sword. Her very presence brought a chill to crawl down Blake's spine, but it seemed Gohan and the word ' _fear_ ' just didn't seem to get along anymore.

"Who are you?" Gohan called out. He watched for her reaction. The woman stood motionless. The son of Goku growled as he flared his power. He wasn't in the mood for the silent treatment. He was looking for Cell, and this woman seemed to stand there like she was taunting him. Her very posture portrayed a mocking message, and he wasn't one to take that lying down.

Maybe a bit of Vegeta had rubbed off on him somewhere down the line, or maybe it was the constant taunts of Androids Seventeen and Eighteen that continued to haunt him. He _hated_ it when he was mocked. It hurt his pride, and it stabbed at his fragile desire to protect as many innocent lives as he possibly could.

"If you're here to attack us, let me tell you that you're making a _terrible_ mistake," He stated. The woman remained silent, and that told Gohan more than enough that she was now a threat to the both of them. A white aura slowly formed around him as he prepared for a fight. The woman seemed unphased by the action, and merely watched.

Gohan floated down to the ground as did Blake. The moment they touched the ground, the woman across from them began to unsheathe her sword. The blade was a red crimson, and the mere sight of such a familiar weapon brought cold sweat to form on the cat faunus's forehead. He could feel her practically shake beside him. Her amber eyes widened and her hands started to twitch.

" _Is she related to Adam?! That sword… it's almost identical to his!_ " Blake thought in horror. The woman pointed the blood crimson sword towards the two as Gohan's hands tightened, preparing for the inevitable fight. Something told him this battle wasn't going to be easy. He was right to trust his instincts.

Blake was observing her surroundings, looking at the area they were about to fight in. There wasn't much space at all, and the narrow, circular shaped walls would prove to be challenging to fight in. This fight had the potential to ugly exceptionally fast. Speaking of ugly, when she looked behind her, she found that there was another person that cut both her and Gohan off from a possible escape. The odds of survival just took a nose dive into the river of slime.

"Gohan? There's someone behind us, and I can't sense this guy," She voiced. Gohan immediately turned, taking his eyes of the threatening woman. Gohan's eyes immediately widened when his eyes landed on the new figure. It was large and humanoid. Easily double the size of him, but that wasn't what bothered him the most. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the insignia on the man's green vest in the darkness.

It was a Red Ribbon Army Android. One created by Dr. Gero! There was no mistaking a symbol like that!

"An Android! Blake, I'm going to need you to take care of our other guest," Gohan stated as he powered up with more ferocity. The large Android walked forward threateningly, each step causing cracks to form in the ground. This figure had a orange mohawk and had a passive, emotionless look on his face. His entire presence was intimidating.

The large Android charged before Gohan managed to say anything. The half-Saiyan decided to meet him halfway. The two clashed while Blake and the other female guest exploded into their fight. Blake made sure to guide her assailant away from Gohan and the Android, knowing things would get bad if she stayed too close to him when he was fighting.

"So, another Android huh?" Gohan commented sourly, as he parried a kick. He pushed off and went on the offensive. He was just testing the waters now, and so was the Android. It seemed they were both interested in each other, and seeing how one another fought was critical. Fighting style and techniques were important knowledge going into a fight. Since Gohan knew he was going up against an Android, there was no doubt that this Android already had data on him, and his skills.

Years of fighting Android Seventeen and Eighteen drilled that idea into his subconscious.

"Pretty sure Seventeen and Eighteen were enough. How many of you did Gero create?" Gohan growled as he dodged another swipe. The machine didn't answer, and simply kept attacking. Gohan deflected an energy blast from the machine. The damage shook the tunnel violently. That confirmed it. He was _definitely_ fighting an Android from his world. No power or energy to sense, but the Android seemed more than capable in using it.

"What? Did Gero not give you a voice box?" Gohan taunted. He launched into another attack but was baited, and accidentally over-committed, leaving himself wide open for the android to take advantage of. He recovered just in time to block a uppercut from the Android's knee and phased out, leaving an afterimage behind.

"You are Son Gohan. Son of Goku," The Android stated. The machines voice was almost robotic. No emotion or clear tone in its voice. It just talked like it was stating undeniable facts. Gohan smirked a little. This Android didn't seem to be human as Seventeen and Eighteen. He seemed to be rather precise and calculative. The twin Androids he had faced back on Earth were both quite unpredictable.

"Well what do you know. The big green machine has a voice after all. Well then. Come on, what's your programmed objective big guy?" Gohan asked. He caught another punch and pushed the Android off. The green themed Android slowed to a stop as the battle came to a temporary halt. His eyes flashed briefly.

"My primary mission is to find and eliminate Son Goku."

"Well I have some bad news," Gohan cut in. "My father died years ago. Your mission has no purpose," the hybrid growled. He was understandably frustrated with the amount of Androids he had failed to destroy. First, there was that unknown one at Mountain Glenn which he had no memory of. Next was Cell, and now there was this guy. Dr. Gero seemed like a persistent man if he had built this many Androids to kill his father. The fact that this Android was even active was just more salt to the wound.

A constant reminder that he had failed in the grand scale.

"My secondary objective is to assist the woman named Raven Branwen. I have known of Son Goku's termination for some time now. I will follow my secondary objective," He stated. The man's voice was horsed and robotic, almost like he was reading off a script. Gohan raised a curious eyebrow at the name. It didn't seem like a common last name, and the two names certainly seemed to correspond with each other than to be a coincidence.

Raven Branwen? It had to be Qrow's sister.

If that was the case, then why was its secondary objective protecting this woman? She didn't exist on Earth, so how was it even possible that Dr. Gero had programmed that objective into this Android? The mere idea of it was absurd! The only way this was entirely possible was if…

" _Someone on Remnant is capable of replicating and tinkering with Gero's technology! This can't be good!_ " the very idea of this brought a sickening feeling to Gohan's stomach. If that assumption was true based on the evidence he was seeing here, then Remnant was in more danger than he initially realized! The sickening feeling that history had the chance of repeating itself here brought him nothing but crushing guilt.

These Androids were here because of him after all.

"Is that the woman currently attacking my friend?" Gohan asked. The Android merely shifted into a fighting stance. It was clear the talking was over. The Android once again shot towards Gohan, this time with increased speed. Gohan knew the space in here was too crowded to continue to fight. With a powerful yell, Gohan powered up and shot through the roof, his energy protecting him as he exploded through the pavement and shot straight into the air. He was lucky to have come out of an alleyway in an empty industrial district. Nobody had seen the commotion.

The Android followed without hesitation.

A powerful white aura exploded around Gohan, as the two circled in the air high above Vale. The half-Saiyan was at full base power. He didn't want to risk Super Saiyan just yet if he didn't have to. He needed to keep that as his trump card. Besides, in public like this, he'd draw too much attention. He was lucky that it was dark out and most of the people were at home. No one had noticed that he and the Android were floating hundreds of meters above Vale.

"Well then? Let's go," Gohan launched at the Android, this time with the familiar feeling to destroy. Just like that time when he went up against Seventeen and Eighteen for the last time.

* * *

Blake was having a rough time. Even with her energy to aid her she was still fighting for her life against this woman who seemed leagues above her, and even her old partner Adam. She was surprised she could keep up with this woman who was seemingly moving faster than she could see. Her instincts were keeping her alive, if only barely. Each time their weapons clashed, Blake could feel herself being pushed back.

Her semblance and enhanced aura allowed her to keep fighting, and the more the battle forged on, the more Blake started to adapt to the situation and read how this woman fought. She was quick, relied heavily on speed and quick strikes, just like Adam. However, unlike her previous partner, this woman could change the element of her weapon via the Dust manipulators in her sheath. Her movements were also much more refined and deadly than her ex-partner. Adam seemed to rely heavily on his striking power than his speed and technique.

One moment the sword was red, the next it was yellow, then blue. All in the blink of an eye. It happened so fast all Blake could do was block. Her semblance allowed her to evade most of the killing blows, but she was slowly running out of aura. Sooner or later her instincts would fail her and she might lose her head, or if she was lucky, maybe just an arm. It was a grim reality to think about that she might not come out of this fight without injury.

"Who-?" Blake managed to block and end up in a sword lock with the woman. Blake scowled as she found herself matched evenly in strength. Her training with her life energy helped enhance her strength greatly. Even the woman was surprised to be in an evenly matched sword lock with the cat faunus. However, it was clear that the woman was holding back a great deal of her power.

"Who are you!? And why are you attacking us!?" Blake demanded. Sparks flew off Gambol Shroud as the woman put a little more pressure on her blade. The cat faunus could have sworn she felt her sword crack from the intense pressure. She was losing this sword lock, and if her sword broke, the chances of her living seemed slim to none. She let her hand drift off her sword and down below. Letting off a medium sized blast sent the woman spiralling backwards.

Smoke drifted off the woman's stomach. The fabric around her midsection had been burnt off. It looked like Blake had done some sizeable damage to the woman's Aura. However, she got up without any trouble at all, like she hadn't been hurt in the first place. The smoke drifting off her seemed to mirror her anger, as it laced her voice, promising nothing but an agonizing end.

"You will pay _dearly_ , for that," She disappeared. Blake only had a split second to angle herself to dodge the sword that almost cut through her neck like a hot knife through butter. This woman was attacking with renewed vigour and much more aggression. If Blake couldn't attack before, the likelihood of landing another blow seemed to float into the realm of impossibility. Once again, all she could do was defend.

But even that proved too difficult now.

A boot landed directly in Blake's abdomen sending her flying backwards, landing with a sickening crack on her back. The moment she tried to get back up, the woman's sword was at her neck. Blake froze her movement as the woman glared at her through the mask. Before she could say anything, a golden shield spun out of nowhere and collided with the sword in the woman's hand, knocking it away from Blake's neck.

The sword was smacked out of her hand and clanged to the ground a few meters away. Pyrrha Nikos appeared right in front of Blake prone form and attacked the woman's feet. With her guard broken, she was swept off her feet. Before the woman could even recover, a golden blur appeared on the scene. With burning red eyes, Yang Xiao Long boosted towards the woman and punched her directly in the jaw. The sudden appearance of the two had stunned her.

The assailant was sent flying, but she regained her balance in mid-air. Twirling, she landed on her feet and skidded until her back touched the cold concrete walls of the sewer. The woman's fists tightened as power exploded around the woman. Her energy reaching frightening levels. Yang merely scowled, fear having been extinguished from her body the moment she saw her friend in danger.

"You mess with Blake, you mess with me, _bitch_ ," Yang growled. The mask on the woman's face cracked, shattering to pieces the moment she adjusted herself. She was momentarily surprised at the event that she actually stopped powering up and looked down at the fragments of her white mask. The blonde stood across from the woman while Pyrrha was supporting Blake. Yang's fists tightened.

The moment the woman lifted her head, Pyrrha and Blake gasped.

"Yang… she looks just like-" Pyrrha started, but the blonde was quick to cut her off.

"Yeah I know," she scowled. "I bet that hurts, doesn't it _mom_?" Yang spat venomously.

Blood dripped down the woman's forehead as she gazed at the trio of trainee huntresses with a distasteful expression. Her long black, spiky hair that stretched all the way down her back was flat as she leaned against the wall. She couldn't believe that these kids had become so strong in such a short amount of time! It was almost insulting! All the time she had worked to better herself, only to have herself cornered by a bunch of children!

"How interesting," Raven muttered. She walked over and picked up her sword. Her red eyes, resting solely on the blonde in front of her. It hadn't been long since she had seen her in hospital. She had grown incredibly strong. It seemed like her encounter with Cell had only made her stronger. Every battle she stepped into, she got stronger when she came out of. Raven wasn't sure if she should be proud, or angry.

"You gonna run away like last time? Or you gonna fight me?" Yang demanded. Her voice held a dangerous edge to it. The blonde was fired up, and her golden aura was already simmering around her. She wasn't tucked up in bed like she was previously when Raven had confronted her. No, she was armed and ready now. Her pristine blonde hair started to glow as her eyes remained red. She was ready to fight.

"I bet you would like that, _little Fire Dragon_ ," Raven smiled mockingly. Yang's jaw tightened as her body trembled with anger. That _tone_ was enough to stir the pot of boiling rage inside of Yang. Raven spoke as if she had the entire situation under control, and that really got under the fiery blonde's skin. Ember Celica unfolded and cocked itself.

Raven swiped her sword behind her. A black portal formed in the wall as Raven turned back around. She held out her arms, as if gesturing for Yang to follow. She slowly stepped back into the portal, her body disappearing from sight as she did so. Yang moved forward to follow, but was stopped when a hand grabbed her arm. She turned to see Pyrrha with a concerned look on her face.

"If you follow, you'll be doing exactly what she wants," the redhead warned. Yang ripped her arm from Pyrrha's grip and scowled at her. The amazon warrior stepped back a bit as Blake managed to stand up. Yang turned back around just in time to see the black portal disappear. A determined scowl formed on her features. She had missed her chance for now.

" _Next time… I won't let you get away so easily._ "

* * *

To the normal individual watching from the ground, they wouldn't be able to see a thing in the night sky aside from a few stars and fireworks from the people partying. The Vytal festival was a time to celebrate after all. However, when people looked up to investigate the booms and crashes in the sky, all they could see was the small air explosions when two invisible forces clashed with each other.

"Is that all you've got?" Gohan taunted as he traded blows with the Android. The stoic green android gave no facial response. It seemed like he was incapable of doing so. The Android also seemed to like communicating by using its fists. Gohan wasn't exactly opposed to the idea. Any opportunity to destroy an Android created by Dr. Gero, he would gladly take without hesitation.

"You are holding back, so I see no reason why I should give you the satisfaction of fighting at my full power. You are also not worth the catastrophic damage my full power would cause to the area around us," He replied. Gohan growled as he kicked away the stoic monster. He charged up and fired off a quick Masenko before zipping behind the beast to knock him into the ground.

The energy attack hit, but as Gohan flashed behind the android, the counter attack was immediate and unexpected. The Android grabbed Gohan's leg and flung him into the side of a building. Gohan went all the way through, seeing as the building was nowhere near dense and strong enough to hold the kind of force the android had sent Gohan flying at it with.

" _Using Super Saiyan here would draw too much attention. I need to be careful,_ " Gohan thought as he flew out of the wreckage and met the Android in the sky once again. He couldn't have the people of valve freaking out if they saw a bright yellow flash of light explode above them. The look on the android's face was like usual, expressionless. Gohan couldn't understand why. Seventeen and Eighteen were perfectly capable of smirking and laughing as they slaughtered innocent people.

"What are you really doing here?" Gohan asked. The android engaged him in battle once more, but a bit slower this time to match the pace where they could have a conversation.

"I answer only to Raven Branwen," He replied. Gohan sighed. His robotic voice gave it away. He was more machine than anything else. Gohan had concluded a long time ago that Seventeen and Eighteen were cyborgs. They acted too much like humans to be completely machine, but that didn't mean they weren't soulless.

"Well then I'm just going to have to make you, aren't I?" the half-Saiyan retorted as he increased the intensity of his power. The Android seemed to match his speed and striking power. The killing intent was gone. It felt like he was just trying to stall now. He hoped Blake was okay. It felt like Pyrrha and Yang had managed to find her alright.

The fight raged on in the sky. Gohan tried to keep it as subtle as possible, only firing off Ki blasts when fireworks went up. People would be none the wiser. It didn't seem like anyone was panicking down below yet so he figured he was right. Gohan went in for another attack, but saw that the android had backed off.

What was he doing?

Suddenly, the Android turned and flew off at Mach speed. Gohan was so stunned for a moment he was caught off guard. He was gone before he even had the chance to pursue. Gohan waited for a moment, keeping his powered-up state active, looking around to make sure the Android was gone for good. What had happened?

After a few more moments, Gohan powered down and dropped down to the ground. Nothing made sense! Those two couldn't have possibly been working for Cell. Gohan knew his kind. He was more of a lone wolf and would seek to rip out the nearest person's throat than to ask for help. No, those two had a different agenda. That thought didn't bring him any relief at all. Did they have something to do with the infiltrators?

Pyrrha, Blake and Yang landed next to Gohan looking and smelling worse for wear. Blake looked especially terrible. She had things in her hair that Gohan was scared to point out. Yang and Pyrrha smelt terrible and looked in desperate need of a shower, they also looked exhausted. They had spent the last few hours in the bowels of the city.

"What a waste of time," Blake spat sarcastically. "We learned absolutely nothing!" She was tired, exhausted, hurt, and more-so annoyed than anything else. It was like nothing else could get even worse. What was next? – No, She didn't want to tempt fate. She thought she would just leave it at that. Cell and Salem were bad enough. The possibility that there were other threats out there capable of destroying her new home was just exhausting to think about.

"I learned the name of that woman, Raven Branwen…" Gohan trailed off. "Qrow's relative?" he questioned. Yang growled slightly.

"Yeah, that was my birth mother alright. Abandoned Dad and I when I was born," She explained. Everyone looked at Yang as she gazed down to the ground, looking at her hands. She had hit her mother, and now that she was thinking about it, it felt _good_. She had hit the woman who had abandoned her at birth. While Yang didn't outright hate her, she wanted to get in a good hit or two before demanding answers.

"That was your mom? I didn't know that abandonment was the equivalent of being a murderer," Blake retorted spitefully. Yang looked at her partner with annoyance in her eyes. While the blonde wasn't particularly fond of her mother abandoning her, she didn't think that she would be a murderer. She had hopped there were at least some redeeming qualities in the woman, but so far she had yet to find any.

"That's not true! She was…" Yang trailed off. Blake merely scowled at the blonde. If that woman had abandoned Yang, why was the blonde so adamant in defending her?

"She was trying pretty hard to gut me. If you two hadn't showed up when you did, I might have been dead by now," Blake responded. It was a silent thank you to the two, but Yang was having more trouble accepting the fact that her mother seemed to be a murderer. Maybe she was living a false hope that maybe she could convince Raven to come back? She wouldn't ever admit it, but she knew that's how she felt deep down.

She just wanted to know _why_.

Gohan placed his hand on his chin in thought.

"Qrow mentioned that he had a sister. Apparently, they didn't see 'eye to eye' on most things, in the way he put it. Thinking on it now, I think he was being a lot vaguer and shortcoming about that point. I don't think she's part of the crowd we're fighting though," Gohan stated. Pyrrha looked unsure about that. It was pretty clear that she was playing for a different side considering she had tried to kill Blake in the sewers.

"I saw the mask she was wearing. It looked very much like those worn by the White Fang, but when Yang knocked the mask off of her, she didn't appear to have an obvious faunus trait. I could be wrong but…" Pyrrha looked at Yang for a confirmation. The blonde turned away with a sour look on her features.

"Don't look at me for answers. I know just as much about my mom as you do! Zilch! Dad wouldn't talk about her, and whenever I brought it up he would shy away and try to change the subject," She retorted bitterly. Gohan lingered a bit in thought. Still, nothing was making sense. That was an Android he had fought. The Red Ribbon Insignia and everything, meaning that Gero had created it.

"She could be a part of the White Fang," Pyrrha offered. Blake shook her head in denial.

"No way. I would have known about someone like that if they were a part of the White Fang. While I wasn't in the higher ranks, I had a fair idea where most people stood in terms of hierarchy. I've never heard of _anyone_ called Raven Branwen before," the jet-black haired girl stated. "She had enough strength to make my ex-partner look like a novice!"

"That aside, what happened you Gohan?" Yang asked. The boy merely groaned.

"I found _another_ Android."

"Oh come on!" the blonde groaned.

"This situation is just getting worse," Pyrrha muttered in an exhausted manner.

"The Android I fought was difficult to read. I couldn't gauge whether or not it was stronger than Cell," he started. "It said that he only answered to Raven Branwen. He wouldn't give me any clues on what they were up to, or why they were in the sewers," Gohan finished. Yang ran a frustrated hand through her hair while Blake just stared at the ground in a sullen mood.

"I can't believe this," the fiery blonde swore under her breath.

"Maybe they were looking for Cell?" Pyrrha pitched in. "He's hurt a lot of people, I wouldn't be surprised if we weren't the only ones hunting him. In fact, it would make more sense if we weren't, considering all the people he has… _absorbed_ ," Pyrrha commented, forcing out that last word as if it disgusted her to say it. The word absorb seemed almost taboo to the group now. It made them feel sick knowing that there was a creature capable of _merging_ people into his bio-mass.

In the background, another large set of fireworks were set off. It seemed about time to call it a night.

"Alright guys, I think it's time we headed back. I'll talk to Ozpin about this tomorrow. It doesn't seem too urgent, but it's certainly something to worry about. You girls go rest up, you're all in the double's rounds tomorrow from what I've heard. We can talk later," Gohan stated. The girls agreed without hesitation.

Everyone could agree that they smelt dreadful.

It was time for a nice bath and a peaceful sleep.

* * *

It was earlier the next morning when Weiss was called out by her sister to have breakfast with her. The snow princess jumped at the opportunity to get closer with her sister. The woman was practically the only piece of her family that she cared for. Her mother… well, she didn't like to think, or talk about it with anyone besides Winter.

It was a nice morning and the sun was up. Birds were chirping and the flowers were blooming as Weiss and Winter had tea in the gardens of Beacon Academy. It was rather nice and peaceful. This place was normally off-limits to students, but seeing as Winter had brought her here, she must have been the exception.

"You're staying?" Weiss looked astounded. Winter simply nodded.

"I have been tasked to oversee the tournament. There are threats around here sister. Threats that normal huntsman won't be able to battle," Winter spoke with a careful edge to her tone. Weiss could only nod. She had heard of the terrifying green monster. She still didn't know what to think of Cell. She had yet to encounter him, and something inside of her warned her that maybe she didn't _want_ to.

Winter had just told her before that Cell had broken into their vaults back at Atlas only a few days prior. It was frightening to realize that the monster had brute forced it's way through all the security they had.

"I see," Weiss responded, a tint of uncertainty to her voice. She was rather let-down that her sister wasn't here to watch her in the tournament, but it would be a bit too late for that, considering they had already chosen Yang and Blake to proceed. Those two had improved a breathtaking amount over the past couple of weeks. Weiss could only wonder what kind of training they were doing. _Especially_ training that allowed them to recover from critical injuries so fast.

"I know it's difficult to understand Weiss. We are Schnee's. You must get over the petty need for my approval. You've always had it Weiss, and you always will. I love you, and I forever will," Winter smiled affectionately. Weiss looked up into her older sister's eyes. There was genuine care in her eyes, unlike her father or her younger brother.

"But unfortunately, this is not a social call," Winter placed down her cup of tea, a serious expression gracing her stunning features. "I've been tasked to deliver you the news that you have been selected for a special programme Weiss. I have discussed this with the Headmaster and General Ironwood, and they believe that you are the only candidate capable to undertake this procedure," Winter explained. Weiss just looked at her sister while her hands around her tea grew more intense.

"Uh… what kind of procedure is this?" Weiss asked. Winter closed her eyes. She then proceeded to explain the backstory behind the maidens and their powers being transferable. She recited everything that Ozpin and Ironwood had informed her in. She would not beat around the bush. An issue like this was not something she could deliver lightly. If Weiss was going to do this, she needed to know _everything_.

Of course, she left out the part of her being the second viable choice after Pyrrha, and Qrow's refusal to have Ruby undergo the experiment. Winter was confident that Weiss would be able to go through it without the trouble of knowing about the other potential candidates, but there was still that lingering doubt. Recent events had pushed them to become paranoid, and they needed to act quickly.

"That's…" Weiss was struggling to find the words to express herself. Before she could, Winter put her hands upon her own. Weiss looked at the hand that cupped hers. The soft, comforting touch of her older sister always brought warmth to her icy heart. Knowing that she always had _someone_ that loved her, constantly looking out for her, was easy for her to take solice in.

"I know this is a big decision to make Weiss, but you of all people know how the world is. Our constant struggle with the White Fang and growing up under father's strict guidance. You know the world is _cruel_... life _is_ unfair. This may be your chance to get a head start to making your own path," Winter stated. Weiss stared at the reflection of her now, cold tea.

The idea of taking this dying girl's powers, it didn't seem right. But Winter had explained that the people that had injured her were after her powers. If she took those powers, didn't that make her a target? Did Winter really want her to uphold that responsibility? It felt like she'd be painting a target on her back.

"Why me?" Weiss asked. She wanted to know. Why not anyone else? Why not Pyrrha? Ruby? Coco? Any other girl in Beacon. While Weiss did pride herself on her style, skill and execution of her Huntress arts, she was by no means perfect. As she hated to admit it, there were other better candidates than her. It was a realistic deduction.

"I can't answer that Weiss," Winter stated with an honest frown. "I wish I knew the thinking process of the General or Professor Ozpin, but they have concluded that you would be the best candidate. And they need an answer soon. Darkness looms over Vale Weiss. You have seen it, haven't you?" Winter asked. Weiss nodded. The Breach… it had never made sense, until she put it all together in her head.

All those times where she and the rest of her team had encountered and fought with Roman Torchwick and his followers. Not to mention the White Fang working with him. Something was going down and she knew it was going to happen soon, but how soon she didn't know. It was a lingering thought in the back of her head. Blake had been right to be paranoid about their movements.

"I see… I need some time to think on this," Weiss stated as she stood up. "However, I should have an answer by tonight. I will call you to let you know of my decision," she finished. Winter smiled lightly. Glad that there were no outright refusals. At least that was something. Weiss had come a long way since coming to Beacon. It was clear her views on most things had shifted and changed somewhat.

"That's all I can ask for. Thank you."

* * *

One of the first things that the son of Goku did when he woke up the next day was head straight to Ozpin's office to inform the man of last night's events. When Gohan arrived, he found both Ozpin and Qrow in another heated discussion. It seemed that the two were butting heads a lot more recently, and the half- Saiyan wasn't sure if that was a good sign.

"Jimmy shouldn't be here Oz! The animosity amongst the people of Vale are growing, and people are getting restless. They're-" Qrow cut himself off as the door closed behind Gohan, drawing both the adults' eyes to him. Gohan raised an eyebrow as he gestured towards the door with a questionable expression.

"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked. Ozpin merely shook his head with a small smile.

"Not at all. Qrow here was just expressing his discontent with our…" Ozpin's eyes drifted to the window where the Atlas Military sat stationary in the skies of Vale. "... rather interesting situation," Ozpin finished. Qrow merely snorted as he kicked his legs up onto Ozpin's desk, much to the headmaster's ire.

"Which I was suggesting that Ozpin should send ol' Jimmy home. We don't need 'em here. They're just gonna cause more trouble," Qrow drawled. The headmaster sighed dramatically. Gohan was actually impressed. Ozpin seemed like a man who wasn't easily annoyed, and here Qrow was doing it like a professional. The two must have known each other for a _very_ long time.

"Is there something you need Gohan?" Ozpin asked. Gohan merely strolled up to the desk and folded his arms.

"The girls and I had an encounter with another Android last night in the sewers," he started. Immediately both Qrow and Ozpin were listening with full attention. The looks on their faces went from annoyance to dread in mere seconds. The mention of the name 'Android' was enough to make both full grown men look scared and terrified. They did well in hiding their true emotions.

"Shit," Qrow swore bluntly. "Wasn't Cell was it?" he asked. Gohan shook his head.

"No, it wasn't, and that's not even the strangest part," the half-Saiyan continued. Both adults gave him looks, as if to ask him to carry on with his story. "The Android stated it answered to someone called _Raven_ _Branwen_ ," he finished.

There was absolute silence for a couple of moments after Gohan finished. The atmosphere had become so thick you could cut it with a knife. Qrow _actually_ got out of his chair, shock and a whole other range of emotions flooding his face. A whirlpool of anger seemed to rage on in his eyes as his jaw tightened and his hands clenched. Gohan knew this anger wasn't directed at anyone in the room, but at the person he was talking about.

"You _cannot_ be serious," he growled, a dangerous edge to his tone. Gohan merely grunted in response.

"If I was joking, I wouldn't bother coming here in the first place. I thought you needed to hear this," Gohan stated. Ozpin's look darkened.

"And you'd be correct. Please explain _exactly_ what happened last night," Ozpin asked.

Gohan recounted the events that occurred the previous night. Everything from them descending into the sewers to find Cell, right up to the moment where they reconvened to return to Beacon for the night. Needless to say it was a chilling story that drove Qrow to finish the rest of his flask in one fell swoop. The look on his face was a mixture of anger, despair, and utter disgust.

"Sheesh, what the hell are you thinking Raven?" Qrow muttered angrily.

"This is getting more and more complicated than I initially anticipated," the headmaster said slowly. "Qrow, I thought Raven was dealing with her group of… less than favourable associates," Ozpin looked to the drunkard for a reasonable answer, and it was clear that Qrow didn't have the one he was looking for. The drunkard merely scowled and ran a hand through his slick hair.

"You know I don't talk to her much Oz. I don't agree with a lot of the outlooks she has on life, and I certainly don't talk to her about those _murderers_. They're her family, not _mine_ ," he responded bitterly. He took a few steps over to the window, his metal flask in his hand. He shook it to check its contents, but was sorely disappointed to find that it was now empty.

"They raised both of us, and I just chose to walk away. She _chose_ to return, and that's what drives the wedge between us," Qrow recalled the bitter memory. Gohan shrugged as he sat on the corner of Ozpin's desk.

"She attacked us in the sewers for no good reason. Either there's something down there that she doesn't want us getting, or she was after something else. And considering she brought that Android along with her, I'm convinced she was there to confront the others, and myself," he stated. Ozpin leaned back in his chair in thought.

"If we are to assume she was there to confront you, I guess the question we should be asking is… what would Raven want with you?" Ozpin wondered vocally. Qrow sighed in annoyance. It was clear that the man wasn't taking this news very well. He obviously wasn't on good terms with his sister, but the emotion in his eyes spoke volumes of the connection that the two still maintained. Gohan suspected that both Qrow and Raven did talk on the rare occasion.

"Well ever since Gohan pulled that stunt at the Breach, he's become Vale's number one mystery. Raven has eyes and ears everywhere. She's resourceful, and if there's one thing I know about her is that she doesn't like the unknown. So…" Qrow turned to Gohan, with an impassive frown on his face. "that stunt you pulled must have peaked her interest in you," He finished.

"And the Android?" Gohan asked. Qrow sighed.

"Added security? Going up against you in a solo fight would be suicide. Raven isn't stupid," Qrow muttered something else under his breath that Gohan didn't quite catch. He inhaled and exhaled in an exasperated manner before continuing.

"How she got it, or how it's under her command is a mystery to me. Raven is incredibly strong, and she's got the brains to match it as well. She was always the tactician in our team. She gave us directions and we followed them, despite _Summer_ being the _leader_ ," Qrow recalled. Gohan couldn't understand the reasoning.

"Why fight me though? I don't understand. Blake, Pyrrha and Yang were down there also," Gohan added. Qrow groaned. Gohan turned to him in question. The alcoholic just sighed.

"Raven is Yang's _missing_ mother. She… it's…" the drunkard took a moment to recollect his thoughts. It seemed like a touchy subject with him. "I don't even know why she would confront her now of _all_ times," Qrow didn't look like he had a clue about what he was saying. It seemed like he was just trying to come up with a reason that made sense to him. However, things _still_ weren't adding up.

"While Raven trained here in Beacon, she came across as a very intelligent young woman. I oversaw team Stark's many activities. Raven liked to information gather. My guess is, she wanted to meet you, to see you in person. See what made you tick. She's a very smart woman, she does not do things without reason," Ozpin added. Qrow could only nod. Gohan wasn't convinced.

"She didn't fight me. The Android did."

"Same thing," Qrow cut in. "The Android probably recorded your information in its… data banks or whatever. I don't know," he scowled as he sat back down. The Saiyan hybrid merely ran a hand through his thick, black hair in frustration. He wished he was able to understand the thinking process of some of his enemies.

"Is she a threat?" Gohan asked. Since the Android took orders from her and seemed fixated on obeying her every whim and desire, she was the real problem here, not the Android, and as much as it pained him to say it, he had other things to worry about right now than a rogue android controlled by a woman who seemed interested in him and his friends. Qrow shifted in his seat.

"Hard to say," the man drawled. "What we do here, we protect the people, ensure a better future. Raven also wants to do that, but in her own twisted and seemingly conventional way. She is not allies with Salem as far as I know, and I'm confident that she would never think about turning to her. It goes against everything she stands for," Qrow explained. He talked about his sister like a far-away relative that hardly called. Qrow's face was pained. He obviously cared about her.

"We need to watch out for her. She has an incredibly powerful Android on her side. I have no idea how strong it is. It felt like it was just trying to stall me. Who knows what it's full capabilities are," Gohan stated rather bitterly. Ozpin nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. We do not need another Mountain Glenn happening again."

* * *

It was that time again.

Walking out into the arena, Blake could taste the fired up atmosphere of the crowd. They roared in excitement as both she and Yang made their way to the center of the stage. She had to remind herself that she needed to keep a low profile with her strength. Pyrrha had done a superb job of almost ruining it when she went out to fight with team JNPR. She only got away with it because she was a celebrity, otherwise, people would be raising eyebrows.

She didn't even get to the center stage before she felt the adrenaline pump through her. The anticipation for the match was exciting, and that was something she could not lie about. Yang seemed to take it in stride. The fiery blonde was grinning and cracking her knuckles. Blake could only sigh as they approached their opponents.

She seemed to have more trouble moving on from last night's events than her blonde companion.

Ruby and Weiss, and the rest of team JNPR in the stands watched them with supportive cheers. Blake knew that it would be another match where keeping her and Yang's powers on the down low would be another struggle. They saw what Pyrrha had done yesterday in the ring, and after her fight with Yang's supposed missing mother, she wasn't feeling to happy.

"Yang can we hurry this up? I really don't want this to drag out too long. We have more important things to do," Blake murmured to her partner. Yang pouted slightly. Her blonde partner was all about having fun and living in the moment. It was something Blake struggled to understand, but she was learning to see why Yang held these perceptions.

It was rather fun knowing that you had your opponent outclassed before the fight even started.

"Aw, come on Blake lighten up. I know we went through some _shit_ last night," Yang giggled while Blake frowned at her horrible pun. "But we should just loosen up and have some fun. It's like Pyrrha said. This tournament has guidelines. We're not fighting murderers here," Yang grinned. The jet-black haired faunus merely groaned to herself.

Was she the only one aside from Gohan that seemed to be extremely worried about what Cell was doing right _now_?

"Fine. Whatever, go have your fun. I'll be taking my opponent out before you do," Blake grumbled as she took out Gambol Shroud. The blade itself glimmered a bit as she encased the blade in her energy. She found doing that made her blade more durable. Yang grinned as she cocked Ember Celica, the yellow gauntlets folding out into their active state.

"A race, is it? I hear ya, and I'm totally game," the blonde chirped. Blake just rolled her eyes and waited for the horn to sound to begin the match. As their opponents readied themselves, the horn sounded and Yang shot forward to engage the girl on roller-skates, leaving Blake with the guy wearing the fedora.

"Looks like it's just you and me cutie," he shot her a flirtatious grin. "I like your bow, and the names' Flynt," He said. Blake sighed quietly. Guy had class, so what? He looked nice and had a strange weapon. Okay, maybe Blake was a little bit of a sucker for nicely dressed boys, but that wasn't going to stop her from pounding this guy's face into the ground.

"Blake." She retorted and disappeared. Flynt looked around in surprise. Suddenly he found himself swept into the air, and a solid foot landed in his back. He was sent flying across the arena. He managed to steady himself and land on his feet. He turned and looked to see Blake moving with blinding speed, flashing from one side to the other as she closed the distance.

Something told him this battle would not be easy.

* * *

"Ooooooooo! Look at 'em go!" Nora laughed as the friends of Blake and Yang watched with anticipation. The Bumblebee duo seemed to be dominating the doubles round so far, and their opponents had yet to get a hit on them. They had complete and utter control of the entire arena, and while Blake seemed to be actively trying to defeat her opponent, Yang opted for the more, _entertaining_ route.

"They have gotten significantly stronger than the last time we saw them fight. Discounting your earlier match. It's quite obvious your teammates are going to win by a wide margin," Ren commented from his seat. He was practically keeping Nora from bounding up and putting her face against the invisible barrier so she could get a closer look. Jaune had to agree with his silent teammate.

"Yeah. I can't even see Blake when she moves! I wonder what kind of training she did to get that kind of speed?" he wondered out loud. Pyrrha remained silent, but with a content smile on her face as she watched her friends battle it out in the arena. Both Blake and Yang were holding back considerably, and it was clearly obvious to anyone with half a brain that the latter wasn't really taking the match seriously.

"Hey guys," a voice interrupted their focus on the match. All of them turned to see Gohan walking towards them with a bucket of popcorn. He held a friendly smile on his face and waved. "Room for one more?" he asked politely. Ruby's hand shot up, her eyes zeroing in on the popcorn.

"OH! OH! Sit here!" she gestured to the empty seat next to her. Weiss was sitting in the other seat next to her, with JNPR in tow. Gohan gracefully accepted her invitation to sit down. As he did so, Ruby dug her little hands into the popcorn and shoveled it into her mouth ungracefully. The action caught Gohan by surprise, but an amused smile graced his face after seeing the girl so hungrily dig into the treats. Weiss was absolutely disgusted and recoiled in horror.

"Ruby!" she practically screamed. "Have some decency to actually ask if you can have some!" she chastised. Ruby pouted as comical waterfall tears poured out of her eyes. Weiss's eyes merely twitched in annoyance. Did this little red hooded nuisance think she could get away with the puppydog eyes… with HER!?

"B-But _Weeeeissssss_ …" she whined. The Ice Queen held up a single finger to the younger girl's face.

"Don't even think you can pull that stupid look off with someone like me around! Apologize!" she scolded. Ruby turned to Gohan with a sad, guilty expression plastered all over her face. The half-Saiyan almost burst out laughing. He had to bite his lip to stop himself from bursting into hysterical tears.

"It's fine. You don't have to apologize Ruby."

"DON'T ENCOURAGE HER! IF SHE DOESN'T LEARN NOW, SHE NEVER WILL!" Weiss practically screamed. Gohan shrunk away, feeling like a scolded child. Honestly, Weiss reminded him of his mother with a high pitched, screeching voice like that. JNPR watched with amused smiles. Ren had to elbow Nora to stop the girl from bursting to laughter. Weiss was trying to make a point, and they all knew how upset she got when people laughed at her expense.

"Aww, it's okay Weiss. I'll learn _eventually_ ," Ruby grinned.

Before Weiss could respond and lecture her younger partner, the group was interrupted by the commentators loud, booming voice over the speakers.

"And Neon Katt delivers a devastating sneak attack to Yang Xiao Long!" Port announced as Yang skidded back on the destroyed city theme, side of the arena. Doctor Oobleck had to comment on the attack as well, practically chastising Yang for not paying attention, nor taking the fight as seriously as she should be.

"That's what she gets for not taking this encounter seriously!" Oobleck stated over the speakers. Ruby swallowed as Yang's rage broke.

"Oh no. Here comes Ms. Angry Pants," Ruby chuckled nervously. Yang's aura exploded around her as her eyes went red. Her blonde hair started to shimmer a bright pristine golden. Gohan couldn't help but think that it sort of reminded him of his Super Saiyan state. It was a side effect of Yang's semblance that he had never really noticed before.

"I wish she would take this fight more seriously," Weiss muttered bitterly. Ruby turned to her partner with a concerned look in her eyes. Weiss seemed off today, and now she was starting to notice it. It seemed even JNPR was noticing her strange attitude, as Jaune and Ren kept glancing at her out of the corner of their eyes. She looked rather… mopey. That wasn't like her.

"Are you okay Weiss? You seem rather down," the crimsonette commented. Weiss merely sighed.

"It's… complicated. I don't want to talk about it right now," Ruby was about to say something else, but was cut off as Nora shot out of her seat.

"OOOOOOHHHHH! Yang's _PISSED_!" Nora sequealed in excitement. Gohan had to sigh as the familiar golden aura exploded around Yang, her temper, officially lost, and a tantrum, obviously thrown.

" _I really need to work on that with her._ "

* * *

The fight was nothing more than a means of entertainment for Yang. She loved seeing how far she had come since surpassing her peers, although the novelty of it had worn off pretty quickly when she had battled Cell. Learning to fly was incredible. Learning to fire energy waves was mind-blowing. However, knowing that there was something out there capable of obliterating everything you know and love in an instant was a loud wake up call for Yang.

It was fights like these where she could really strive and see just how far she had come in such a short amount of time, however this particular fight wasn't really showing her how strong she had gotten, it was more of a test of her ire.

"You've got a pretty annoying mouth on you, you know that?!" Yang growled as she cut the skater faunus off from every corner she decided to go around. The color themed girl pouted slightly as she stopped to engage in a conversation with the buxom blonde. It seemed more of a battle of wits and verbal lashing than an actual physical fight.

"Yeah? Well, your ego is about the size of your boobs. Come on, I can tell you _stuff_ your bra," She teased. The brawlers face was slowly curving into an angry snarl. This girl was going to be in for some serious hurting soon if she kept running her mouth. Yang dashed forward at a moderate pace, to engage the girl. The rollerskating monkey was quite fast and was only just avoiding each attack that Yang threw her way.

"I'm serious girly! You keep running your mouth and I'm going to make you eat your own tail!" Yang snapped. The girl winked at her.

"Oh! How naughty! I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff," She giggled as she delivered a hard roundhouse kick to Yang's face. The blonde took the hit directly and barely flinched. The neon themed girl backed away slightly, looking a tad bit annoyed. Yang moved forward with a dangerous look in her eyes.

"What are you made of? Rocks?" the girl yelped as she backed off. Her look of pain curved into one of amusement soon after. "Well, considering you're blonde, I'm not surprised," she commented with a cheeky smile. Yang's eyes went red as her energy exploded. The ground beneath her split and a staged building that was obviously a battleground prop crumbled in the background as the entire arena shook.

"YOU'RE DEAD!" she bellowed, her golden aura exploded around her.

Yang phased forward catching the girl off guard. Yang cupped her hands in front of the girl's stomach. She had no time to react before a ball of light formed and exploded outwards. It hit her stomach and carried her sky high. To the audience, it looked like Yang had activated both her shotgun gauntlets at the same time.

The rollerskater screamed comically as she was blown away.

"Oh come on!" She screamed as she flew out of the arena and crash landed out of bounds. Her aura was extremely close to being depleted. She looked up and pouted. She hoped Flynt was doing better than she was, and considering his Aura on the board was showing him close to red, well… suffice to say that team FNKI's dreams of winning the tournament were close to ending.

Yang wiped her hands clean and pretended to wipe dust of her clothes, as if to cleanse herself of the annoying girl's mouth.

"Well, I guess I beat Blake to the _punch_. A shame really, if that girl wasn't so damn annoying, I might have had more fun. Time to see how Blake is doing," Yang looked up at the board to see her teammates opponent was close to the yellow zone while her aura was still in the green zone. Even her own aura was still in the green after taking that girls kick directly to the face!

Yang knew she was durable. Blake on the other hand, had quite the fragile frame to her body. Granted she was starting to build up quite a bit of muscle, but she was nowhere close to being as tough as her. After all the damage Blake had endured recently, Gohan had told them that the body and ki start to adapt to taking that kind of damage, meaning Blake would come out of those injuries stronger than ever.

Yang turned the corner and walked out onto the main part of the arena to find Blake finishing off Flynt by simply knocking him out. It was a boring one-sided match, but she guessed it needed to happen. Maybe it wouldn't have been such a bad idea to vote for Ruby and Weiss instead of her and Blake. The dark themed girl didn't really seem to enjoy these types of things as much as she did.

"You are progressing to do the singles. Not me, this was boring, and I prefer watching instead," Blake snapped. Yang shrugged. She didn't mind doing the singles. The one on one matches were what she was looking forward to anyway. The cat faunus then turned to see Yang's opponent being carried off by her teammates. Her midsection was smoking.

Blake fought the urge to groan audibly.

"Yang, remember the no energy rule? Don't use energy blasts! You're lucky it looked like you just used an explosive dust round in your gauntlets. You're lucky we weren't disqualified for foul play!" Blake hissed. Yang waved her off with a nonchalant smile.

"Psssssh," Yang laughed. "She's _fine_. That girl deserved it anyway. I tried to be discreet about it but ain't nobody going to tell me I stuff my bra, _or_ that I'm dumb as rocks! No one's getting away with that!" Yang replied with a childish scowl. Blake rolled her eyes and fought the urge to slam her face against the nearest wall.

"You really need to work on ignoring your opponent's taunts. Seriously," Blake muttered. Yang shrugged.

"Come on, Pyrrha and Nora are fighting next and then the single rounds are tomorrow. I want to go celebrate and I'm sure Ruby will want to as well," the blonde replied. Blake lightened up at that. She _was_ quite hungry, and all this fighting, worrying and stress was really making her metabolism work faster. She was eating a lot more than usual, which she found to be rather odd.

On that note...

She could really use some tuna right now.

* * *

As the match ended and the combatants made their way out of the arena, a certain green haired thief was currently gripping the sides of her seat like they were stress relief balls. Her eyes were wide in complete and utter shock, while her grey haired teammate sat next to her with an air of uncertainty about him. Both of them were in a state of dismay as the situation became painfully clear that their plans were _not_ going to work.

"Since _when_ did the bimbo and the cat get _that_ strong!?" Emerald hissed. Mercury's hands were sweating, but he was keeping his cool. He made sure never to let his calm, cool exterior break down, because then the people around him would start to question his strength. He was an assassin, and he was extremely good at what he did. He had managed to murder his father in cold blood, and he considered that a difficult achievement.

Watching the two girls completely annihilate their opponents without so much as breaking a sweat was rather nerve wracking to him. He knew he was good, but he knew he wasn't _that_ good. Yang Xiao Long had been a girl he had been watching from afar for about a month now. She seemed rather strong at first, but that strength had gotten wildly immeasurable over the last couple of weeks.

"Chill," he replied coolly as he watched Yang and Blake exit the arena together. The two of them exerted an atmosphere of calmness and dominate control. It was almost impossible to believe it, but they felt the same as Cinder almost. He'd get this… strange feeling of submissiveness around Cinder, like his instincts knew when he was outmatched. Watching those two stroll out of the arena…

They were _way_ out of his league.

"Don't you tell me to _chill_ , Merc. That girl will _flatten_ you in the finals, if Cinder rigs the match. I could barely use my semblance on the black haired girl. She moved too fast for me to see. The blonde looked like she was just having fun," Emerald shot back. Mercury turned and scowled at her, a look of seriousness on his face was something she was not use to seeing.

"If you don't cool it, then we can kiss our lives good-bye. Cinder will _kill_ us if we don't execute our roles properly. Whoever goes through to the finals, is who I will be facing. We need to sort something out, because… you're right," he grunted. " _Either_ of them will flatten me," he finished with a cold, bitter look in his eyes. He could have sworn it was jealousy that was eating away at him, but it was becoming increasingly clear that he was now quite worried about him living.

He had been confident before. That was because he knew he could take anyone in the Academy aside from maybe Pyrrha Nikos, who had also, become alarmingly several times stronger and faster since he had tested her just a few weeks prior to the tournament. Now it seemed that there were three new people who could probably beat him in mere seconds.

"Okay _Merc_ ," she scowled in disgust. "What do we do?" she asked. He merely sighed. He wasn't a thinker. He was a 'doer'. He did as he was told, and he made sure he did it to maximum efficiency. Cinder was an easy woman to please if you followed exactly what she told you to do, and when to do it. His fingers tightened as his eyes zeroed in on the laughing blonde down near the exit of the arena.

"We hope that they put Xiao Long through. If they decide to go with Adam's little runaway bride, then I'm screwed. She gets shit done, and your semblance can't focus in on someone you can't even _see_ ," Mercury stated. Emerald merely narrowed her eyes. "With the blonde, I can easily play her strings. She's arrogant and boastful. I can mess with her a bit, but timing is going to be everything," he continued. The mint haired girl actually looked impressed.

"Wow, I didn't know you could actually think like that. It's… kind of endearing," she stated. Merc merely turned to her and smirked.

"Don't get used to it sweetheart," he mocked. Emerald leaned in to slap him, only for him to lean out of reach. She groaned in annoyance as she leaned back in her chair as the next doubles round started. The roars of the crowd drowned out their dark conversation. Emerald was thankful that everyone that sat around them was too busy stuffing their face with popcorn to notice to what they were discussing.

"I still don't understand how they got so… _powerful_ all of a sudden. It's as if they were just screwing around in the fights at the Academy. To lull everyone around them into a false sense of security," Emerald trailed off. Her eyes followed the blonde and her faunus partner. It was at the entrance that she saw their silly crimson leader and stuck up snow princess, and…

"Hey! Merc, look over there!" she hissed as she pointed towards the exit. Sure enough, when his eyes followed her gesture, he saw that team RWBY had one extra person standing at the exit waiting to congratulate the winners. It was the Librarian they had bumped into back in Vale. The same kid who managed to completely erase thousands of Grimm from within Vale after Roman busted through with the train.

"It's that kid," he commented with a frown. "Gohan, right?"

"Why's he hanging out with them?" Emerald asked. Mercury shrugged.

"It's no secret. He and Xiao Long are suspected to be really good friends. In fact there's a rumour going around that they're dating. I haven't seen any evidence though. They just hang out a lot," Mercury commented with a distasteful frown on his face. He watched as the group laughed and watched as the next match started. They eventually disappeared, heading back up to the stands to watch the next few matches.

"I don't like this," Emerald stated. Mercury had to agree.

"I agree, but…" he sighed as he got up, a dark look in his eyes. "We have no other choice. Our lives are on the line now. If we screw up… we're as good as dead."

* * *

Shortly after Yang and Blake's match finished, team RWBY went to celebrate their victory in their dorm room. Ruby had something planned, and it was already made clear that Yang was going through. Gohan had been quick to duck out of it and head off somewhere else. Weiss wasn't sure what his deal was, but he seemed rather distant to everyone but Yang and Blake.

He also looked rather stressed.

But that wasn't what was on her mind right now.

She also managed to duck out before Ruby had noticed. She shot her teammates and her partner a quick scroll message telling them that she had something to do and that she'd be busy for awhile. She also made sure to tell them not to worry. This was a personal request by Ozpin himself, delivered by her sister. This was her business, and she didn't want her team knowing the details until she was sure of them herself.

So here she was.

Weiss Schnee stood in front of the Headmaster's door that same night, and knocked with slight hesitation. It took a while for her to do so, but she finally managed to gather the courage to do it. She had been thinking about it all day and she had also messaged Winter to let her know of her decision. It had been on her thoughts, and she finally came to a logical conclusion. But first, she needed to see something for herself.

"Come in," Ozpin's voice echoed from the other side of the door. Weiss opened the door and strode in. She was nervous, but she knew she would be strong and pull through this. She had to. To protect the people, it was necessary. It was her duty as a Schnee.

"Hello Professor," Weiss began. He placed his hands on his desk as she stood in front of him. It was late at night, and everyone should have been getting ready for bed, but she wasn't. She had a task to carry out. It was important that she saw this through. Saying no didn't feel right, but at the same time, saying yes didn't quite feel right either.

"Winter has informed me of the situation. However, while I have come to an answer, I want to see this person before I make the final call. Is that acceptable?" Weiss asked. Ozpin nodded and stood up. His steps were slow and methodical as he picked up his cane, a deadly serious expression clouding his face.

"Come with me," He stated. He walked into the elevator that led to his office. Weiss followed with a determined look on her face. Ozpin punched in a few digits on the pad before the doors shut. The elevator shuddered as it began it's descent to the Vault. Watching the doors shut on the elevator was like watching her final chance to run away, slip from her grasp. She was committed now.

On the ride down, Ozpin was silent, and that was bothering Weiss a lot. His silence was making her nervous and edgy, but she didn't show it. She was a professional in not showing nerves and emotion. Her father had made sure of that himself. She was destined to become the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company after all. However, with each day passing, that seemed more like a pipe dream than an actual future.

When the doors opened, her eyes were met with darkness. She followed Ozpin as he strode forwards. Lights came on next to these giant pillars that extended to the roof, like it was holding up the weight of Beacon Academy. She never knew a place like this existed. It was incredible! It was so large down here. What kind of secrets must he have kept down in the darkness, under the school?

Her question was shortly answered when she came upon a machine with two human-sized boxes, easy enough for someone her size to fit in. On one side, it was empty, as if it was waiting to have a person walk inside it. The other one however, was occupied by none other than Amber Autumn. The woman that had looked like she had her soul ripped out. Weiss covered her mouth as she approached the pod.

" _How is she still alive?_ "

Her skin looked badly damaged and her breathing was short and obviously pained. Every now and then she would clench her teeth in what seemed to be pain before relaxing. It was hard to watch. This woman looked… only a year or two older than her. Just what had she gone through?

"How long has she been here like this?" Weiss asked. The old man behind her simply looked at Autumn with a look of guilt and sadness in his eyes.

"About six months. She was attacked on her way back from a mission. Qrow Branwen, Ruby's uncle, found her and saved her from the attackers. Like Winter has informed you, those attackers are after the power she contains, and in this state, she is helpless and dying. All I can do is delay the process," Ozpin stated remorsefully. Weiss looked at Autumn through the panel of glass.

She felt more compelled now more than ever to take the powers, purely to help put this poor girl out of her misery. She looked like she was suffering! Weiss turned to Ozpin.

"Why keep her like this?" She asked. Ozpin gave a heavy sigh.

"The way the Maiden's powers work, is that when the host dies, their powers are either transferred to the next suitable applicant, or they are transferred to the last person in the woman's thoughts. Considering that the person that attacked her was female, she was successful in leaching half the powers off her," Ozpin explained as he walked up to the pod and placed a hand on it.

"We couldn't risk that power falling into the enemy's hands. So, I decided to place her in stasis to prevent her from dying, so we could find a suitable replacement for her," Ozpin elaborated. Weiss glanced at Amber, who once again was stricken with a look of pain. Weiss couldn't stand watching the woman lie in agony like that.

" _For six months as well. I can't imagine how much pain she's in…_ " Weiss felt like she was on the verge of tears. A life cut short so early. No one should have to experience this kind of torment. She steeled her nerves and turned to the headmaster.

"If I do this… If I take these… _powers_. Will she pass peacefully?" Weiss asked. Ozpin nodded. However, that nod was done with uncertainty. He could not possibly know what would happen to Amber if the powers were transferred. All he could do was hope the process worked the way it was designed to.

"Believe me, the last thing I wanted to do was keep her alive to torture her. This power is incredibly potent and unimaginably dangerous. If the enemy ever got hold of it fully, the entire world would be placed in unforeseeable chaos," Ozpin explained. Weiss looked at the vacant pod and walked over to it. It was as if the pod was welcoming her to step in. Weiss took a moment to think, before turning to the dying woman.

She couldn't leave her like this.

"Then let's do it," Weiss stated with new conviction. Ozpin was rather surprised she had said it so bluntly. He narrowed his eyes, watching her carefully. "I can't bear to see anyone suffer like this. I will shoulder this burden in her place. At least I will be able to _defend_ myself should these people coming looking for the remaining portion of this power," she stated with a low whisper.

"Ms. Schnee," Ozpin started with a serious look on his face. "This decision might be the most important decision you make in your entire life. Are you completely sure you don't need more time to think on this? There is still time," he warned. The Ice Queen merely shook her head as she turned back to Amber, resting her pale hands on the glass.

She could almost feel the pain the woman was in.

It wasn't right to leave her like this.

"Winter warned me that there was something strange happening in Vale, and I won't be the first to say that I haven't seen it coming. My team and I have faced off against the likes of Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. If they are after this power, I won't stand to let them have it," Weiss replied, conviction written all over her face. Ozpin closed his eyes and merely sighed.

"This goes far beyond the likes of mere crime lords and terrorist groups _Weiss_ ," Ozpin started, surprising the heiress slightly. She had never heard him use her first name before. It was always 'Ms. Schnee' with him. It sounded… strangely personal.

"There is a group with even more sinister intentions. They are using those groups to further their own goals. That's why I asked you if you truly believe that doing this feels right to you," the headmaster spoke wisely. Weiss looked down for a moment before looking up again, her mind already being made up.

"You will be there to help me, right? Winter as well? And the General?" She asked. She sounded worried now, almost scared, but her face showed more determination than ever. Ozpin simply nodded, a strong and protective look in his eyes and told her that she'd be safe. It didn't feel false or fabricated. What he said, would be the absolute truth.

"We will not abandon you. Your peers and friends will fight beside you until the very end. Trust me when I say that I have been fighting this group for some time now, and I won't make the same mistakes that have haunted me for so long," the silver haired man stated. Weiss swallowed and nodded.

"Then let's get on with it then," Weiss's voice shook slightly. Ozpin waited a moment before nodding. He pressed a button on the console and watched as the vacant pod door slid open. Weiss took a moment to ready herself. She took a good look at the pod before she walked forward and stepped inside. She rested her back against the wall of the pod and relaxed herself. She closed her eyes and waited… and waited.

"Will this hurt?" She asked after a few moments of silence. Ozpin tapped away at the console. He looked up and regarded her briefly.

"Do you _really_ want to know the answer to that question?" Ozpin asked. Weiss swallowed her fear.

"No." She whispered. Ozpin flipped a switch and the machine roared to life. An orange aura flowed out of Amber and through the wires and tubes into the chamber that Weiss was currently in. It took a short moment but it happened. The Orange Aura enveloped Weiss.

And then the screaming started.

* * *

It was finals day today, and the excitement was electrifying. The moment Team JNPR and RWBY woke up they could feel the static in the air. However, it was a difficult feeling for Pyrrha, Yang and Blake as they knew something was up. They hadn't seen Cell since the encounter back in Newville, but his presence around Vale _still_ unnerved them.

Getting up, Ruby noticed that Weiss was not in her usual sleeping attire, nor was she in the room at all. She was vacant from the room. It was quite unusual. Why wasn't Weiss in the room? With the secret training and strange strength that Yang and Blake seemed to have acquired, Ruby suddenly felt, strangely isolated. Ruby tried to shake off the feeling, she knew she was just being silly.

When the groups arrived at the colosseum, Ruby and Blake made their way to the stands along with team JNPR minus Pyrrha, who was also in the finals. They got to their seats and managed to sit next to each other so they could support their teammates. It was nice to see that there was two first year teams from Beacon that had managed to make it to the finals.

"You ready P-Money?" Yang asked with a grin. Pyrrha found she could not shared the same excitement as her blonde friend, her downcast and thoughtful expression was stronger than ever today.

"I am worried. With each passing day, Cell gets stronger," Pyrrha whispered to the buxom blonde. Yang's grin dropped off her face and was replaced with a more downcast expression..

"Come on, let's just forget about that for now. One day won't hurt. Besides, after all this is over, I plan on training my butt off so I can learn everything I can about life energy," Yang finished with a weak grin. Pyrrha could only return a false smile. The loss of her uncle in Newville was still in the back of her mind. While she wasn't particularly close to the man, he was still family to her.

"Yes. I suppose you are correct," Pyrrha sighed. As the match ups scrolled down the screen the crowd was cheering. It was clearly obvious this was the day everyone had been waiting for. Yang was incredibly pumped up, and Pyrrha felt nervous. She had performed in front of crowds before, this was nothing new, but the thought of Cell being somewhere around, just watching them. How could Yang ignore something like that?

"The first match has been decided!" Port declared over the microphone. The crowd looked towards the board as well as the participants. As the scrolling stopped the first round had been decided.

"Mercury Black versus…" Port announced as the next name popped up on the board. "Yang Xiao Long!" He finished. The crowd cheered as Yang grinned.

"Oh boy! I get to kick pretty boy's teeth in," Yang chuckled with a wicked smile. Pyrrha just rolled her eyes.

"Try not to do too much damage, will you?" She joked. Yang winked at her.

"No promises," the blonde replied. The rest of the participants left the arena leaving only Yang and Mercury standing opposite of each other. As the participants left, machines roared to life as the stadium floor shifted and changed. The ground beneath Yang and Mercury lifted and the ground outside the arena shifted, allowing the platform Yang and Mercury were standing on to be the primary arena. The rest of it was out of bounds.

Spotlights snapped to position and lit up the arena for all to see. The two participants found themselves shortly blinded from all the light before their eyes adjusted. The two combatants turned to each other. Yang couldn't help but smile in anticipation. She could still feel a lingering darkness inside of him. A dark energy. Blake had informed her what Gohan said about it. It could mean anything really.

She decided to ignore it. It was probably his narcissism influencing his energy.

"Okay pretty boy. No going easy on me alright? If I find you slacking, I'll really kick your ass," Yang boasted. Mercury could only smirk. A cold sensation made itself known on the back of Yang's neck. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to ignore that dark energy within this guy. Something was setting off alarm bells inside of her head.

"Oh, don't worry, easy isn't in my vocabulary. Just try to make this interesting sweetheart," Mercury grinned. Yang's jaw tightened. She _hated_ it when people called her that.

The horn sounded as Professor Port started the countdown over the microphone. When he got to one, Yang and Mercury were arms-length apart. When the buzzer sounded, Mercury went in for a kick while Yang went for a hook. She knew she had this match in the bag. Increasing her power enough to make sure that she put this guy on his ass was important. She was going to make this a _show_ to _remember_.

Their attacks collided causing a shockwave to rip across the arena. The crowd went wild. Ruby was cheering while Blake was watching with an impassive look on her face. Though, they had to admit something was strange. Where was Weiss? Their Ice Queen teammate wouldn't miss this for the world! Something was wrong, but it could wait until after the match.

Yang and Mercury traded blows. Both seemed like they were just playing with each other. Testing the waters so to speak. Mercury was strong, extremely so. Blake noticed that he was leaving openings for her partner to take advantage of. Why was he doing that? With Yang's enhanced speed, she could see the moments where he'd deliberately leave himself open.

It was clear as day. Even Yang was seeing as well.

" _Why's he doing that? Is it a trick?_ " Yang thought. She tested to see. When Mercury left himself open, Yang upped her speed and broke right through his guard. He was sent flying, but he recovered and landed on his feet. Sparks erupted from his feet where he landed causing Yang to raise an eyebrow. She decided to lower her power a bit. If he was going to drop his guard like that, she didn't want to risk crippling him.

" _Is he trying to throw the match? What's with this guy?_ " Yang thought as she defended against his long-ranged attacks. She blocked them one by one as they were shot at her. Yang decided to fall back. She wanted him to come to her. He was playing so defensive and she couldn't understand why. What was he playing at?

"Aw, scared of little ol' me?" Mercury taunted. Yang snorted.

"Hardly. You've been leaving your guard wide open when I've been attacking at certain angles. Are you trying to lose this match? Because to me it feels like you're deliberately throwing the match," She retorted with a bitter expression. Mercury shrugged nonchalantly.

"Just trying to shake things up, ya know? Appease the crowd, as they say," Mercury smirked. Yang frowned. She just didn't get this guy. What was he trying to do? This was the finals! Did he think he was funny? These punks from Haven must really have egos too large for them to handle, because this guy was even more of a joke than Neon Katt!

"Stop wasting my time and fight me already," Yang snapped "This is boring. You haven't even hit me once," she finished with a frown. Mercury, once again shrugged. His uncaring attitude was _really_ starting to rub her the wrong way. Did he think _she_ was a joke? Was he trying to deliberately lower her guard? No, that couldn't be it. He was getting close to the red zone. A few more hits and he was done!

"I really don't like hurting girls though. Especially one as pretty as you," Mercury winked. Yang looked disgusted. Was this guy really trying that approach? No, he was just trying to throw her off her game. Trying to get her worked up, angry almost. It was like he knew which buttons to press.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, bud." Yang snarled. She launched forward and delivered a devastating combo towards Mercury, taking his aura close to the red zone. He landed on his back and groaned a bit. Yang stood her ground, watching him get up. If she was prepared and didn't fall into old bad habits, she could end this match without even taking a hit.

"You pack quite the wallop. I like my women like that. Strong and feisty," Mercury smirked as he got up. Yang's eyes flared red. She had enough of listening to this guy talk. It was like he was deliberately trying to make her mad so she would beat the hell out of him. It wasn't like he couldn't defend himself.

Yang froze, her anger dissipating.

" _Does he... what is he playing at here?_ " Yang thought. Mercury dashed towards her, catching her off guard. His metal foot colliding with her abdomen sending her barreling across the arena. She skidded on the ground hard, scraping bits of her aura off the board.

"Come on sweetheart, pay attention, will you?" He mocked. Yang stood up, renewed anger in her eyes. Her hair flared, red eyes almost glowing. A yellow aura exploded around her, cracking the ground and lifting loose bits of the ground around her. She was hell-a furious. Logic and reason were once again, thrown out the window.

"Call me _sweetheart_ , one more time… and I will break your damn teeth." Yang grinded out. Her teeth were clenched. Mercury smirked. To him, he had just won, but not in the way everyone realised that he had. He hadn't won the match, in fact he had lost, but he had accomplished his goal. He was glad he got the blonde. His tactics wouldn't have worked otherwise.

"Sweetheart-" Yang was in front of him in a flash, before he could even register her movement. Her fist was barrelling towards his face. He realized in a moment as time slowed down for him that his aura would be practically gone and his face would take most of the force behind this hit. Ember Celica cocked. Mercury could only hope that this wouldn't hurt too much.

The audible sound of a jaw snapping and cracking was evident in the arena. Mercury was sent flying about a hundred meters, way out of the boundary zone and landing hard on his back. His aura shattered, and his beaten form lay for all to see. Yang's fist was out stretched from where she had punched him. He had literally been sent flying.

Mercury groaned from where he was lying. His face and jaw broken, his back sore. He was lucky to get out of that without any broken teeth, but his jaw? Well, he wouldn't be talking for a few days. A week at most… maybe two.

Yang grinned, but suddenly, she was surrounded by armed guards. She then realized that the crowd was mostly silent. She could hear audible gasps from people all over the place. She looked around. Everyone, as far as she could see, was in shock. What was going on?

"Hey! What gives!?" she growled angrily. One of the guards stepped forward.

"Yang Xiao Long! Stand down immediately or face incarceration!" the guard yelled. Yang looked around, completely confused and dumbfounded. Did he really just say that?

"What's going on? I beat him, didn't I? He's out of bounds!" Yang protested. She then turned and looked up at a live replay of what happened. Her eyes widened when she saw what had happened on the live recording. It completely contradicted what she had witnessed on the ground. Her mouth fell agape, disbelief freezing the blood in her veins as her mind denied what she was seeing.

On the screen, she saw Mercury pleading for mercy, begging for surrender. He had his hands up towards Yang. Yang only responded by nailing him in the face sending him barrelling out of bounds. She looked over towards where Mercury was, Emerald at his side, glaring at her.

Yang backed away. What was going on? Why was she the enemy here!? What had happened!? She couldn't make heads or tails of it!

Over in the stands, Ruby and Blake looked mortified, along with team JNPR. Pyrrha looked horrified by what Yang had just done. Yang had used energy to amplify her strength. She could have killed that boy! The rest of her team were thinking the same thing, minus the usage of her energy. It didn't make sense to any of them! They knew Yang was hotheaded, but ruthless was not something they associated with her.

"Oh no…" Ruby whispered. The blondes partner could only bite her lip as the guards closed in around around Yang.

"This doesn't bode well," Blake muttered.

"Surrender your weapons immediately and we will escort you out of the arena," A guard stated. Yang took a few moments to process what was going on before she numbly complied. She couldn't figure out what had happened. Was what she saw a lie? He wasn't surrendering in her eyes, he was just taunting her. He had aura left! But the camera footage showed a completely different story. He was surrendering.

The entire world saw her ruthlessly cripple a boy who was surrendering the match.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but it's my job to inform you of your disqualification from the Vytal Festival," Ironwood's rough and authoritative voice was like sandpaper rubbing against skin. Yang hated every single word that came out of the General's mouth, but she had no choice but to accept it. The saddened look on Yang's face was evident, as well as Ruby's. Blake was impassive. Yang was clearly upset, frustrated and confused over what had happened.

"He wasn't surrendering! He was taunting me! He still had aura left!" Yang protested. Ironwood snapped.

"That's enough!" he boomed, silencing the three girls in the room. "Millions of viewers just saw you cripple an innocent student. It doesn't matter what you saw, the camera footage showed that he was surrendering the match to you. You had won at that point, and you choose to attack anyway. It's done, and I'm sorry it has to be this way," Ironwood stated.

There was silence, and thus Ironwood took this chance to see himself out. Once the door was closed, Yang got off her bed and paced around the room. Blake and Ruby were mostly silent, but it wasn't until Yang started breaking stuff that Ruby decided to step in.

"Yang calm down!"

"I knew there was something fishy about those guys. I never should have trusted them for a second!" Yang clenched her knuckles until they went white. Ember Celica were sitting on her nightstand. She was forbidden to use them until the tournament was over, or until Ozpin cleared her of her punishment and standing in Beacon.

"Yang, Please just sit down. We need to talk about this," Ruby started. Yang turned to her sister.

"What's there to talk about!? He was baiting me! He wanted me to attack him, so, I did! Knocked him out of the arena and broke his damn jaw. I saw that, and I'm completely certain that I didn't see anything else!" the blonde's hands were so white that Blake was starting to get concerned that Yang might actually start bleeding.

"I don't understand what happened or why the footage shows a different story!" Yang snapped. Ruby looked down at the floor. It was clear that even Ruby wasn't sure how to calm her sister down in a state like this.

"I wish Weiss was here," The entire room went silent. They hadn't heard from the Ice Queen since last night. She had told them she was going to do something important, and none of them had heard from her since. They were all starting to get worried.

"Yang… we saw you hit him while he was surrendering. I saw it, everyone else did. It doesn't matter what the footage showed. All those people saw it," Blake voiced quietly. Yang's eyes shifted to crimson red, but didn't say anything. She was furious. She knew Emerald and Mercury were up to something. How they had managed to make her see something that wasn't there was beyond her.

"You guys have to believe me! He baited me!" Yang cried. Her tone was getting less angry and more desperate. She looked like she was losing the trust of her team. Blake and Ruby couldn't even meet her eyes. Yang sighed and growled. If her friends weren't going to believe her, then screw 'em. She wasn't going to waste her time here.

Walking over to her nightstand, she swiped Ember Celica and headed towards the door.

"Fine. Screw you guys! I'm out of here," Yang opened the door and slammed it behind her. Ruby got up from the bed to go after her.

"Wait, Yang! General Ironwood said you can't leave your room!" she called out. She was about to go after her before Blake stopped her. Ruby turned to look at her cat faunus teammate for an answer while Blake just shook her head.

"Let her go. I know where she's going," Blake said. Ruby turned to face her faunus friend with a confused expression on her face.

"Where is she going then?" She asked. Blake sighed as she turned her gaze towards the dorm room window.

"Somewhere where she won't be bothered. Where she can cool down. Don't worry Ruby, she'll be fine." Blake said. Ruby could only nod dejectedly. The crimsonette had a sick feeling in her stomach. Weiss was gone, and now Yang had left in a bad mood. She hated it when her sister got angry, because it always took awhile for her to calm down.

"I hope she'll be okay…"

* * *

Yang had made it out to the gardens behind Beacon before taking off from the ground. She flew as fast as she could up to the Lookout. She couldn't be confined to her little room in Beacon, she felt better to be up in the sky, and flying towards the Lookout. It was starting to feel more like a second home to her. She would be able to cool off there. At least here she wasn't going to accidentally hurt some poor soul who happened to cross paths with her when she was in a foul mood.

She flew over the edge of the Lookout and landed. She saw Gohan on the edge, looking out over Remnant in deep thought. His eyes were closed, as if he were in a deep meditation. Yang approached him, and after a few steps, his eyes slowly opened. Before she had a chance to get close, he turned to her, an impassive look on his face. It wasn't one of judging or disappointment, it was more one of curiosity.

"I saw what you did," Gohan started. Yang stopped in her tracks, anger crossed her face before she had a chance to think of what he meant by those words.

"Oh, and I bet you want to tell all about how you are disappointed in me, or how I was in the wrong. Great..." Yang turned to walk away before Gohan stopped her. He had a disapproving scowl on his face.

"You need to relax and think this over. I know something fishy was going on. I'd like to think I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't attack an innocent. What happened down there was strange, so why don't you fill me in?" Gohan asked. Yang sighed and explained her case. Throughout her explanation, the Saiyan hybrid could only come to one possible conclusion.

When she was done, Gohan could only place a hand to his chin in thought. If he was correct on his assumption, then these people were the same people trying to bring down Vale.

"Sounds like you were under some kind of illusion. Strange. I've never encountered a fighter that can use illusions. Whatever happened down there, someone managed to manipulate your perception. Made you see something that wasn't there," Gohan elaborated. "That's quite dangerous to go up against. I'm glad you're not hurt."

Yang was about to reply, but was cut off as the Lookout shook violently, an explosion vibrating the ground beneath her. Gohan merely sighed and rolled his eyes at the event. Yang however, was immediately on guard.

"What the hell was that?" Yang asked, already on edge and ready for combat. The half-Saiyan waved it off.

"That would be Ozpin and Weiss," Gohan explained, turning to Yang. The buxom blonde raised an eyebrow at that. She had no clue Weiss was up here, and she also didn't even know Ozpin was up here. Hell, she didn't actually know they were capable of getting to the Lookout in the first place!

"Weiss and Ozpin? Why are they up here? _Why is Weiss up here?_ Is she learning how to control her energy too?" Yang asked. Gohan shook his head. While she wasn't wrong, she also wasn't correct. That poor girl had recently come under a lot of stress and Ozpin had brought her here to help her adjust to her new… situation.

"Yes and… _no_. She's a different case. She recently became the Fall Maiden. However, there have been some slight problems that came with it. Ozpin is helping her through those changes. He's also helping her learn how to control the power," Gohan explained. Yang looked over towards the one building on top of the Lookout. There was a stairway in there that lead down to a huge combat area. It was obvious that's where Weiss and Ozpin were.

There was a stairway that lead to a training area below the floor that Gohan had recently hollowed out. It made for more room in and on the Lookout if they needed to bring any substantial amount of people up here. Yang could only let out a small gasp.

"The Fall Maiden? Wait that girl underneath the school that uncle Qrow and Ozpin talked about?" Yang asked. Gohan nodded.

"She _was_ the Fall Maiden. Stuffed inside a life support machine, dying," Gohan stopped himself and looked up at Yang with a grim expression. "Well, she's dead now. She passed on last night after the process was completed. Weiss and Ozpin have been up here ever since. Weiss isn't allowed back down to Beacon for her own safety, and the safety of others until she gets this power under control," the son of Goku explained. Yang could only nod understandingly.

"Can I go see them?" She asked. Gohan shrugged and smiled.

"Sure. I don't doubt Weiss wouldn't mind seeing one of her teammates. She's been quite stressed since she took on that role. Go see her, I'm sure you can manage to help her out, and I think it would be best if you stayed up here for a while. You know, until most of this outrage dies down," Gohan recommended. Yang nodded glumly.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Hey look, could you… uhm, go hang out with Blake and Ruby? Tell 'em that I'm not doing anything stupid. Especially Ruby. She worries a lot and I kind of stormed out of the room in a bad temper," Yang asked. Gohan nodded and gave her a thumbs up.

"Sure, now go see Weiss. I'll talk to you later," Gohan said as he hopped off the Lookout. Yang smiled, she was feeling better already.

* * *

"Aw this sucks. First Weiss runs off somewhere, and now we can't find Yang," Ruby moaned as she and Blake walked around the halls of Beacon. Blake rolled her eyes. She knew exactly where Yang had run off to. She could sense her energy ascending to the Lookout a while ago. She didn't think it would be a good idea to tell Ruby that considering that Yang obviously wanted to be alone.

"Hey!" A voice sounded behind them Ruby and Blake turned around. Gohan was seen catching up to them. He stopped in front of them and smiled weakly. "I heard what happened. Are you guys okay?" Gohan asked. Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, we're fine. How are you Gohan? Have you seen where Yang's gone? Or have you seen Weiss? We can't find them anywhere," Ruby asked with the sweetest of smiles. Gohan just rubbed his head sheepishly. It was hard to not answer truthfully to a face like that. She sort of had the same expression Trunks had when he was just small kid. Difference was, she was fifteen.

"Well, Yang is just cooling off somewhere. She's fine, she wanted me to let you guys know that she's sorry she stormed out the way she did. She's just upset, and no. I don't know where Weiss is," Gohan lied. He needed to keep the fact that Weiss was the new Maiden out of anyone's knowledge. The less people knew, the better. Ozpin, or Weiss herself, would let Ruby know once her powers were under control.

"Oh, dang. Well, you want to help Blake and I look? We have a few hours until Pyrrha's match so we have some time to look. Oh! Maybe we could go have some food. All this worrying has made me quite hungry," Ruby suggested. Blake sighed, a small smile gracing her features.

"I could do with a bite. What do you say Gohan?" She asked. The Saiyan hybrid couldn't have been happier to accept such a gracious offer.

"Yeah sure, I haven't eaten since this morning!" Gohan exclaimed. Ruby smiled ecstatically.

"Great! Let's go! The festival grounds have great places for food." She stated excitedly. Little did the crimson reaper know, she was about to project herself into a hellish debt that she wouldn't escape anytime soon.

Somewhere, Pyrrha shivered.

She was strangely glad she wasn't spending money on anyone today.

* * *

Fate had tried to warn her, but she didn't listen.

"I'm not so hungry anymore," Ruby admitted. It wasn't because she was full or anything, but instead, she sat in shock, along with Blake. Both had plates of food in front of them. Blake even had a dish of tuna and other assorted fish for her meal, but neither had touched their food. The Saiyan Hybrid that they'd taken to lunch was currently devouring all the food in front of him.

"This is great!" Gohan said as he ripped into a whole chicken. It was gone in less than thirty seconds. It was like he was inhaling food! Plate by plate, dish by dish, they started to stack up until Ruby and Blake couldn't be seen anymore. The ex-White Fang member felt sickened watching the display carry on. It didn't look like it was going to end any time soon.

"This is… _unreal_ ," Blake commented, eyes agape. Her tone was a mixture of horror and amazement. She was horrified that someone could eat like that, and at the same time, amazed that someone could eat that fast without showing signs of throwing up. Gohan finished, clearing out his last plate before adding it to the pile.

"Phew that was some meal! Thanks Ruby!" Gohan laughed as he patted his stomach. Ruby had to use her dad's credit card that she had… _borrowed,_ and she meant 'borrowed' in the most un-crooked way possible. How else was she supposed to buy attachments for Crescent Rose and buy top of the line, overly expensive dust ammunition with just her annual allowance?

"Dad is so going to _kill_ me for this," Ruby cried as she paid with her father's credit card. Blake picked at her food, seemingly losing her appetite by the second. Ruby had decided to eat a little, but at the same time she had also lost her appetite. Watching her sister's potential boyfriend inhale food was something she was never going to get use to seeing.

"So, Ruby. You're the only one from your team I haven't talked with that much. I know Yang and Blake quite well, and Weiss I have met occasionally," Gohan started. Ruby flushed quite a bit. She was quite socially awkward, and while she had met him on the off occasion, he was right in the fact that they hardly talked. She didn't really see a need to converse with him that much.

"Oh yeah, I guess you're right. I don't know you that well," She chuckled sheepishly. Gohan gave her a friendly smile.

"Well? Tell me about yourself!" Gohan asked. Blake smiled. It was nice to see Gohan take such an interest in Ruby. Ever since she had met him, Gohan had seemed like a very open minded person. He accepted her plea to train her in using her energy like he had done with Yang, but there was always this darkness behind him, like he lived in a fiery shadow.

She saw it whenever she looked in the mirror. Her time with the White Fang had been difficult for her. She had left her parents behind after her father had stepped down as the peaceful White Fang leader to become the leader for Menagerie. She had said terrible things to them. It hurt to think about it even now, and the guilt tore her apart.

She called them cowards. Traitors even. Thinking back on it now, she couldn't believe she had said something like that to them. They were her parents! They saw the direction the White Fang was heading in, and had left for their own safety, and hers, but she refused to leave. She stayed behind, and she had made one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

She met Adam Taurus.

He was bloodthirsty. He didn't care who he hurt if what they did revealed results and headway for their beliefs. They assaulted cargo, trains. They stole, they hurt people. They injected fear into the populous. They had brought fear and hatred to the faunus of Remnant. The White Fang was an example of what the faunus were capable of.

The White Fang weren't about equality anymore. They were about domination. They didn't want to be equal to the humans, they wanted to be more than them, and it took her so many years to figure that out. She left when she realised what they had become. The last straw had been pulled on that day she and Adam had assaulted that Atlas Cargo train to steal weapons for an army.

All that conflict, and all that hurt. She left it behind, but it left deep scars. It left that burning shadow that she could see in her eyes, but that shadow… she could see it in Gohan's as well. A bigger and larger burning shadow. A wild inferno that charred landscapes for miles. An ocean of hurt and despair he had been plagued with. He hid it well behind that infectious smile, and occasional goofy attitude. A righteous heart stained by death.

Sometimes she caught herself wondering what _exactly_ he had been through.

Cell's slip of the tongue hadn't gotten passed her. He had stated that he was not of this world. That monster _knew_ Gohan, and it had _his_ power inside him. Was it possible that Gohan was also not of this world as well? Was it possible that he didn't originally come from Remnant? If that were true, then a lot more things about him would make more sense.

She kept it to herself, mostly ignored it for the sake of staying friends with him. He was a nice person and he cared about everyone around him. There was always that mystery to him, and Blake came to the conclusion that maybe some secrets were best left buried. If he truly was from another world… well, that's his secret to tell, and she wouldn't think anything less of him. She had her own secrets, so judging his would be hypocritical of her.

As Gohan and Ruby conversed, sharing stories and interests about their lives, Blake found herself staring longingly at the dark haired boy with onyx eyes. She had managed to catch herself almost drifting off into a daydream. She blushed heavily and turned away, and luckily for her, Gohan and Ruby hadn't noticed.

"-And then I was totally like; Wacha! Smack! And Crunch! Roman totally ran away because he couldn't face how awesome I was," Ruby stated like it was totally a fact. Gohan laughed at that. Blake just chuckled lightly to herself. Ruby was such a delight to listen to sometimes. Her innocent nature and sense of humour was not lost on the cat faunus.

"Hey don't you guys think we should get early seats at the colosseum? Pyrrha's match is going to be starting soon. We don't want to get bad seats if we want to cheer her on," Blake cut in. The two stopped their conversation and turned to her. Ruby's face turned into that of excitement.

"Hey yeah! That's a great idea. Come on! Let's go!" Ruby exclaimed as she hopped down from her seat. Gohan did too and followed her, they both continued their conversation as they walked, with Blake lagging behind a bit. Blake could only smile softly to herself.

" _I'm… really glad I met him._ "

Blake moved to walk forward, but found herself bumping into someone. An older man stumbled as she caught herself. She turned around to see that the man had fallen to his knee, and was panting, wheezing almost. She look at him with concern in her eyes, and a little bit of embarrassment.

"Oh! Gosh, sorry sir. I wasn't watching where I was going-"

"Blake hurry up! We're going to get terrible seating if you stay behind!" Ruby called out. Blake turned to the girl with an annoyed expression.

"Just give me a second! I-" Blake turned back to find that the old man had vanished. Gone without a trace. He had been there for a split second, and then gone the next. Her eyebrows furrowed madly as she looked at the spot he had fallen over. She could have sworn…

"Blake?" Gohan walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern. Blake blinked a few times, gazing at the spot she had seen the old man fall over. Had she imagined it? Surely she couldn't have! It felt so real! She had sensed his energy, and then it was just… gone.

"I'm fine," she stated with uncertainty.

"Well if you say so. Come on, let's go," he gestured. Blake nodded numbly and turned to follow.

" _What was that?_ " she wondered absently as the trio walked towards Amity Colosseum.

* * *

Walking down the large spiral staircase, Yang made her way to the large training area that all the commotion was coming from. She could sense Weiss's energy, and it had increased a tremendous amount since the other day. She chalked it up to the idea that it had to be the Maiden powers giving her that extra boost in power. A boost of this magnitude was something Yang's pride wasn't willing to accept without reason.

"Hey Weiss!" Yang called as she entered the large training room. It was littered with scars and burn marks, and the occasional ice. There was an obvious smell of ozone in the area and it kind of made Yang a little cautious. Over in the center of the room, Weiss was squared off against a much larger man, who was standing in a confident posture.

"Yang!" Weiss called as she turned around. The Ice Queen ran over to her. Yang gapped at the state of Weiss's clothes. They were stained, ripped, burnt. You name it. Weiss's hair was also untied and was left to flow down her back. Yang looked over to see Professor Ozpin, with his cane. He looked normal, and didn't have a scratch on him. His power was also larger than she remembered.

"How did you get up here? Ozpin told me that-" Weiss cut herself off as a look of realization appeared on her face. "...oh right. _That_ sort of explains it. Your strength and speed, along with Blake and Pyrrha. Of course, you would know how to get up here," she rolled her eyes. Yang chuckled briefly at that. Ozpin walked over and nodded towards Yang.

"Greetings Ms. Xiao Long. I trust that the incident down at the tournament has not made everlasting damages on you as a whole?" Ozpin questioned. Yang sighed dramatically. She wasn't surprised that Ozpin had already heard the news. No doubt Glynda or one of the professors, or even Ironwood had been the first to inform him of the incident.

"No, I'm fine, I just need to relax for a while. Ironwood said it was stress, but I think otherwise. Gohan does too," Yang replied. Weiss huffed.

"I heard about what happened, and I would like to believe you. You're hot-headed, not ruthless," Weiss stated with confidence as she patted Yang on the back. Yang's clothes suddenly caught fire at the brief touch of Weiss's hand. She yelped in surprise.

"Ah! Weiss! What the hell!?" Yang screamed as she shook the fire off. Weiss ripped her hand back and waved her smoking hands around. She looked completely embarrassed.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry!" Weiss quickly lifted a hand and blasted Yang with a torrent of icy water, drenching the girl from head to toe. The blonde stood there, her face twitching from annoyance. Weiss blushed furiously, waddling away from the seemingly steaming Yang.

"Weiss…" Yang growled. The Ice Queen merely waved her hands, but the power sent a blast of wind that knocked Yang off her feet. Weiss looked in dismay as Yang slowly picked herself up off the floor, a black, stormy expression in her eyes.

"I'm sorry! Curse these stupid powers! I've been trying to learn how to control them. Ozpin has been helping. It's like I've got a whole other set of muscles in my body that I'm just learning how to use. It is incredibly frustrating. He's… _even had to feed me_ ," Weiss stated with a crimson blush. Yang looked at Ozpin with an uncertain frown. The older man just sighed.

"She has so far managed to either burn her food to ashes or completely freeze it. She does not have sufficient control over her unique powers yet," Ozpin explained. Yang's stormy expression faded into a grin, until she eventually broke into hysterical laughter at the Schnee heiress' dismay.

"Oh man! This is _golden_! You need him to feed you!? I can't imagine how embarrassing that must be!" Yang cracked. She was holding her sides while Weiss was looking at Yang with an unamused look on her face. Yang looked up to see her state of being before breaking out into even more laughter. In Weiss's state, and with that look, she just looked hilarious.

"It's not funny Yang! Do you know how irritating it is burning my food? Or freezing my water completely? It's like I'm a bab- ba- ba- Ah… ACHOO!" Weiss sneezed. An explosion lit up in Yang's laughing face. When the smoke cleared, Yang was glaring daggers at Weiss, and this time she was unamused. Her soot covered face made Weiss chuckle while rubbing her nose.

"Sorry! …no wait, I'm not sorry. You deserve that for laughing at me," The Ice Queen replied, turning her nose to the air. Yang growled. The blonde wiped the soot from her face before putting out the small flames on her hair. The blonde turned around and walked away from the two.

"I'm going to go have a shower, and then sleep. Wake me up if anything interesting happens," Yang mumbled sourly. Weiss sighed before turning to Ozpin.

"Quite the character, isn't she?" Ozpin commented. Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Let's just… get back to this, shall we?"

* * *

Once again, the crowd was roaring with excitement. The board was currently ticking down the remaining participants in the finals. There was still some time before the match started, and Ruby knew that her good friend Penny and Pyrrha would be competing today. She had to see them, when she took her seat with Gohan and Blake, she couldn't help but feel giddy with excitement.

"Oh, this is going to be great! I can't wait to see Penny in one on one action. Her weapons are _so_ cool!" Ruby drawled. Blake just shook her head and smiled. Gohan was interested as well to see Pyrrha fight in the finals. These were some of the best of what Remnant had to offer in the new generation apparently. He had to admit, he was quite impressed so far.

"Yeah. Watching all these battles take place has been rather enjoyable to watch. It almost makes me want to participate," Gohan said with a slight laugh. Blake was looking towards the arena when something caught her eye on the other side of the stadium. She narrowed her eyes so she could see better. Sure enough, her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

"Emerald?" Blake murmured under her breath. Blake got up from her seat and prepared to move to investigate.

"Blake? Where are, you going?" Ruby asked. Blake sighed.

"Uh, bathroom," Blake stated off-handedly. She hurried off to one of the exits. Gohan watched her leave with a strange look on his face. He wondered what had her looking so concerned. Maybe she really needed to go to the bathroom? He shrugged it off, right now he was enjoying the atmosphere from the upcoming fight.

"Oh, okay. Hurry back!" Ruby called out. Blake nodded and took off. A few moments later once Blake was out of sight, the combatants were announced. The board showed the participants and Ruby looked even more excited that she did before. Gohan merely raised an eyebrow. Both Penny Polendina and Pyrrha Nikos were to be fighting next.

"This should be interesting," He voiced in amusement. Ruby was practically jumping up and down in her seat in excitement. Two of her friends were facing off in an epic one on one battle! This was going to be awesome!

"Go Penny! Go Pyrrha! Woohoo!" Ruby yelled at the top of her lungs.

"And there we have it folks! The third match is between Penny Polendina from Atlas, and Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon! This is going to be one for the history books folks, be sure to tune in closely!" Port commented over the microphone. Dr Oobleck could only nod.

"Yes, indeed it is professor! Both combatants have shown their amazing talent in combat, and I do have to say, this might be one battle to be forever etched in Vytal history!" Oobleck blabbered with excitement. The crowd mirrored their feelings. The roar of the crowd was as loud as it ever was. A good portion of people were chanting Pyrrha's name, while the rest were supporting Penny.

Blake could hear the roar of the crowd from tunnels that went around the stadium.

She was stalking around in the maintenance tunnels, trying to make it to the other side of the stadium. She saw Emerald, which didn't make any sense to her. Ironwood had specifically told them that Mercury's team had left in a hurry and flew back to Mistral to be with his family. Considering how Yang broke his jaw when he was surrendering, it was something that shot off alarm bells in her head when she saw Emerald.

" _Something isn't right. Why is she still here?_ " Blake thought. It was crazy, but could Emerald… was it possible she might be a part of the group that is trying to bring down Vale? It would give some supporting evidence to the fact that her energy felt so dark. She and Mercury seemed to always be there, just watching and observing.

Blake exited the maintenance area and came out on the side that Emerald was sitting on. Blake edged the corner and looked out over the crowd. Emerald was alone. Why was she still here? What was she doing? Other than the idea of pure entertainment, there was no reason for her to be here. Blake's uneasy feeling didn't stop there.

The horn sounded, and the match had begun.

* * *

"Wow! I never would have thought that I would go up against Pyrrha Nikos herself! This is truly an honor," Penny smiled as she waved towards her supporters. Pyrrha looked at the girl strangely. She hadn't had much contact with her at all, in fact she barely knew the girl at all. She was Ruby's friend, and an associate of team RWBY. Yang and Blake didn't talk about her at all. She was more Ruby's friend than anyone else's.

"Uh, sure. I guess," Pyrrha took her weapons off her back and readied them for combat. Penny smiled innocently. The innocence bothered the redhead quite a bit.

"This is going to be fun," Penny stated. It was like Pyrrha was fighting a child. An insanely powerful and coordinated child. Pyrrha extended her senses. Penny clearly had life energy, but there was something strange about it. Her aura and her energy seemed to be mixed, almost fused together. It felt so… _unnatural_. Why was she getting such strange vibes from this girl?

"Well, I'm ready when you are," Pyrrha spoke up. Penny gave her another friendly smile.

"Sensational! I will begin attacking now," the strange orange haired girl voiced. Her back seemed to open, and floating blades hovered up and above her head. The moment the horn sounded for battle, she began her attack. She moved, almost like she was doing a dance. Motioning with her hands, her blades followed her like an orchestra.

Pyrrha launched into an attack, zipping in and out of the oncoming blades. She knew her aura would be heavily damaged by those razor-sharp blades if she allowed them to cut her at all. Just the way they flew seemed to cut the wind itself. Pyrrha had to rely on her speed more than anything in this match. The girl was smaller than her, and no doubt her smaller frame would be harder to hit.

Penny had an extremely good defense. The way she controlled the blades seemed almost impossible to predict. Pyrrha had to wonder if it was part of her semblance or something. Telekinesis maybe? That would be bad, especially with her weapons and her polarity. She might have to rely on using some of her energy if she really wanted to win this fight.

Pyrrha dashed to the side, avoiding an attack, then launched forward to strike Penny's unguarded angle. Just as she came close, a pang of pain rang through her head. Pyrrha faltered. And stumbled a bit. Penny adjusted and slammed a torrent of blades into Pyrrha.

The red headed warrior was only just able to defend against it by lifting her shield in time, but most her aura was suddenly missing. Pyrrha managed to make it to her feet just in time to avoid another attack. Pyrrha got to a safe angle before looking around her. Everything seemed off. Her weapons bent as her vision warped. Her eyes blurred as she shook her head, in an attempt to dispel whatever was interfering with her vision.

Was she sick? Poisoned? What was going on?

When she looked up, Penny seemed to teleport around the arena, in an attempt to catch her off guard. Suddenly Pyrrha found herself flying backwards from another strike. This time, the redhead managed a counter-attack. She twisted her body in mid-air, vanishing using her enhanced speed, appeared behind Penny and kneed her right in the back of the neck.

Penny fell forward, but recovered quite easily. Her aura had taken a large hit in a very vital area. Both were in the yellow zone now. The stood off against each other, Penny retaining her friendly smile and Pyrrha looking like she was more sick and strained than anything. The fight was about to take a turn that nobody on the face of Remnant would ever see coming.

* * *

"What's going on with Pyrrha? She doesn't look too good," Ruby asked with concern lacing her voice. Gohan next to her narrowed his eyes. First Yang and now Pyrrha? The redhead had a much better grasp on her emotions. She wouldn't fly off the handle like Yang did, but some foul play was definitely going down in the ring.

" _Whatever it is, her Ki is fluctuating._ " Gohan thought. He frowned.

"I don't know, but it looks like she might fall over any second. If she wants to win this she needs to do it now," Gohan stated with a frown. He gazed down at the arena seriously while Ruby only looked concerned. Across from them, Jaune, Nora and Ren seemed to be having the same concerns. It was clear to everyone that something was going wrong with Pyrrha.

Just then, a chilling energy started to make itself known. The maniacal laughing echoed inside Gohan's head as he clutched the edges of his seat, as if to hold on for dear life.

" ** _Oh no…_** "

* * *

Blake narrowed her eyes as she watched the display. Pyrrha looked shaky, like she'd fall over any second. That was not what Pyrrha was like in battle. What was going on with her? Her eyes drifted to Emerald who was leaning forward in her seat. All she could see was the back of the girl's head.

" _What are you up to?_ " Blake thought as she started to make her way down to the green haired girl.

* * *

Back in the arena Pyrrha seemed to be placed on the defensive. Her mind was whirling, seeing things that weren't there. She was lucky that her superior control over her energy allowed her to react to almost all of Penny's attacks, regardless of whether she was seeing falsities. She was suddenly starting to question what had happened to Yang now that she was experiencing something _very_ similar.

" _I won't fall,_ " Pyrrha told herself. She had to convince herself to see straight. She could see Penny on the other end of the arena preparing and attack. A few short seconds later, Pyrrha found herself suddenly disarmed as the blades sped towards her and ripped them from her grasp. Her perspection was being played with! It couldn't possibly be Penny's doing. This was _outside_ influence!

Penny from her position, leaned back. Her swords on strings rising above her head. She was preparing for the final attack to knock Pyrrha out of the arena. She was focused, she wouldn't fail Mister Ironwood now! She wouldn't fail her father, she was made for this! She had to win! She was _created_ for this very purpose. To defeat anything that stood in her way!

She was a _weapon_.

Pyrrha's eyes widened in absolute horror. The swords above Penny's head multiplied several times over. Her vision was covered in nothing but swords all around her. Pyrrha's heart sped up. She wouldn't be able to dodge or block any on it. There was just too many! Her only choice was…

The swords shot forward.

Pyrrha exploded out, her polarity ripping the control from Penny. The swords were sent back.

And that's when it happened.

A pillar of light exploded through the floor of the stadium, slicing through all the wires that attached Penny to her weapons.

The entire stadium gasped in horror and awe at the destructive light show.

* * *

Gohan shot out of his seat, recognising the horrifyingly familiar energy.

"Oh no… _IT'S **HIM**!_ "

* * *

Blake was just about to engage Emerald. By that point in the match, Blake had concluded that somehow Emerald was interfering with the match. She had to be. There was no other reason to be here. She was a part of the group plotting to bring down Vale. The assumption was big, but Blake was still willing to make it with the amount of evidence she had.

But the light show interrupted her. The explosion in the middle of the arena interrupted her thought process as a familiar and terrifying energy made itself present right in the middle of the arena. Blake looked on down to the arena, where a menacing shadow appeared in the center of the light.

"Oh no," she gasped, as if she had been punched in the stomach. That terrifying energy that had plagued her nightmares had returned. That _sickening_ twisted energy that brought back the maddening laughter in her head. She could practically see it's shadow now, walking towards her as if to kill her in the most brutal, painful way possible.

She fell to her knees as the god-like shadow rose from the pillar of light.

" _ **Oh gods no**_. Oh please… **_NOT NOW!_** " Blake cried desperately. Her voice cracked as her eyes shook madly. She clutched her chest; the phantom pains returning ten-fold. She felt like she had fallen into a dream she couldn't escape from. The terror in front of her… it's energy was even more monstrous than it was before!

 **The nightmare had just begun.**

When the light cleared, the audience was silent. Stunned into to silence and too horrified to even look away. The being that had caused the explosion was floating right over the hole it had made in the stadium floor. With Pyrrha Nikos and Penny Polendina on the ground from the explosion, they looked helpless, like victims to the creature standing before them.

He was big.

He was green.

He was horrifying.

" **Hello… people of Remnant,** "

He was…

" **A pleasure to meet you all. My name is Cell. I hope we can all…** " The creature laughed as he opened his arms to beckon anyone to step forward. " _ **...get along.**_ "

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Oh boy. I feel like a down right ass leaving it on a cliff hanger like that. Oh well, you guys are just going to have to wait and see what happens next time!**

 **So now we approach the end of Volume 3. It was a short ride, but ultimately that's generally as long as I could possibly make it. A lot of you will notice I skipped a few scenes, and well, that's probably because I would just be recounting lines from canon. If a scene is not in there, assume that it plays out the same as canon. Apart from the Qrow/Yang talk, because that happens later.**

 **Not much to say here, other than chapter 9 is the climax of Volume 3, and heading into Volume 4. A fair warning though, be prepared for anything.**

 **I won't pad out the chapter any longer with a long author's note. Don't forgot to review if you so desire. Reviews give me motivation to continue this story!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Hopefully it's not too long of a wait =P**


	9. The Death of Innocence

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys, I guess it's just that time again isn't it? Oh boy, this isn't going to be pretty. I won't lie, this chapter was difficult to get through. The sheer pain some of my beta reader's experienced was… amusing. Just note that I am an evil person who thrives in causing emotional pain. I tried to crank it up to eleven in this chapter, and most of what they told me, seems to have worked out.**

 **Just a few things before we start. I have remastered chapter one. It was lacking in quality compared to the rest of the story, so I've gone back and added bits and pieces to it. Nothing major, just a few tidbits here and there to make the chapter flow better with more interesting dialogue, and vivid detail to the scenes. The Official chapter title for chapter one is: A Pyrrhic Victory.**

 **Again guys, if you want to talk to myself, or Xman (author of Power Within) I would encourage you guys to join our Discord! If you are interested, please follow this link: discord. gg/JrnKzyx**

 **You are able to chat with us, talk to us about story ideas, and if you enjoy this story, you might even receive chapters early! (If I'm feeling nice about it). You'll even get to see the other stories we are working on, including possible future DBZ/RWBY stories. Just remember, if you do join, please read the rules. There's not to many and their pretty easy to follow!**

 **That being said, on with the story!**

* * *

 _Chapter Nine: The Death of Innocence_

A terrifying laughter echoed in her dreams like a record on repeat. She squirmed as she felt the green tail puncture her stomach countless times. Blood trailing in the air and pooling around her body, drenching her dying form in thick red liquid. She felt like she was drowning in it. Watching its monstrous green form towering over her.

"Don't worry Yang…" the green menace licked its lips. "Not too long now until you become a part of me," the tail dug into her flesh, ripping the power from her body. It was sickening and she wanted to scream, but all she could muster was a whimper as blood splattered across her wrinkling face. The creatures horrible laughter brought fear like she had never felt before.

She let out a wordless scream of terror it's sound echoed around the black void she had been imprisoned in.

Yang shot out of bed in a cold sweat, her breathing erratic and maniacal. Resting on one of the beds on the Lookout, she could not deny that horrible energy that skyrocketed and scared her awake. It had been so powerful her dreams had brought about Cell's physical form to torment her. It was maddening, and an experience she had never witnessed before. A reassuring hand drifted to her stomach, as if to confirm that she was still alive.

" _It can't be,_ " she thought. That suffocating power was even more evident than it was before. She could remember just how powerful he had been when she had first encountered him, compared to the strength he now possessed. She had no idea how to explain it, but there was no denying that Cell was down at Amity Colosseum, and he was more powerful than ever.

She instantly leapt out of bed and threw on her clothes. As she dashed out the room and towards the outside area of the Lookout, she couldn't shake the terror that plagued her. She was determined to help in the effort to beat Cell, but she would not lie that the mere idea of facing the creature again brought her unimaginable fear. In mere minutes, she was at the Lookout's edge. Weiss and Ozpin were standing on the edge looking out to the distance with grim looks on their features.

"It's him, isn't it?" Yang asked, a shaky edge to her voice. Weiss was unable to answer, seeing as the amount of power she was feeling had stunned her into silence. With the minimal understand of how ki worked, she had managed to learn how to sense with Ozpin's guidance. The kind of power that was flowing from the Colosseum was incomprehensible. She could barely compare it to Ozpin's let alone hers.

"What is that? This power…" she trailed off. Her lips were quivering out of fear. "I can't… I can't…" she was struggling to breath. Ozpin placed a hand on her shoulder and calmed her down. She looked up to the wise headmaster, her icy blue eyes reflecting possibilities of death and destruction. He looked calm, but a stormy expression invaded his features.

"The eye of the storm has placed itself right over our heads," Ozpin murmured. "It seems doomsday was closer than I had anticipated,"

"I have to get down there!" the blonde stated. Before Ozpin had a chance to stop her, Yang had jumped off the edge of the Lookout and tore through the skies back towards Vale, a brilliant golden aura flowing around her. Weiss just sat watching, as her teammate and good friend, flew off towards her potential death. She looked up to Ozpin for an answer, because the man always seemed to have the answer. Unfortunately, the stormy look in his eyes gave her no comfort.

"What do we do?" She asked. Ozpin frowned, his gaze going only towards the floating colosseum.

"We wait… for now," the headmaster responded. "You are to stay up here. I am certain that with Cell drawing the attention of everyone in Vale, the people behind the Breach will take this opportunity to make their move," Ozpin stated. Weiss merely waited for him to continue. The silver haired man leaned on his cane as he looked over towards Vale. The sky grew darker, predicting an ominous future for the city.

"I must go," the man spoke suddenly, turning to the heiress. Weiss stood up, looking into the older man's eyes.

"Go? Go where!? Are you leaving me up here on my own?" she argued. The man shook his head.

"I cannot have you following. If you return to Vale as it is now, you will be doing more harm than good," he retorted calmly. Weiss looked like she wanted to argue, but she could not find the words to counter with. She still could not control these powers, and if she were to hurt someone in the process, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

"I… I understand headmaster," Weiss responded depressively. Ozpin merely nodded. He took a few steps forward, and promptly vanished from sight, void of sound, and without notice. It was as if he were never there at all. She was left alone on the top of a platform, miles high into the sky with nothing but the calm, cold breeze to comfort her. The temperature suddenly dropped as her hopes burned softly. It brought back painful memories of isolation from her childhood.

Without another word, she headed back towards the temple building to get some rest. Her hands clutched her upper arms, protecting herself from the chilling cold, and the fear that seemed to be crippling her heart. Her eyes started to glow, and the fear that she was cursed by started to freeze the very ground she walked on. Each step she took, placed sub-zero frost upon the tiled ground.

She could only pray that everything would turn out okay in the end.

But Weiss couldn't shake this horrible sinking feeling…

Like someone was going to die.

* * *

It had all been going so _well_.

While there had been bumps and annoyances along the way, the most important part of her plan was about to be executed. To induct fear into the people of Vale, and everything had played out _perfectly_. Even despite the fact the pest called Gohan had foiled her at a couple of turns, he had ultimately failed to see through her facade. Someone as strong as him had her worried, but he appeared to be as foolish as the rest. However, _now_ things had taken a turn, and she wasn't sure if it was good or bad for her.

Right up until the moment that beam of light tore through the arena, she had been ready to execute the final phase of her plan. She had seen the fiasco from where she was standing. In that moment, her plans _almost_ fell to pieces. Standing on a rooftop overlooking Vale, she let the hand with the microphone in it drop to her side. She watched as the large dust crystals under the colosseum dropped towards the city below.

" _Another inconvenience,_ " Cinder growled internally. Smoke billowed out of the bottom of the stadium as fires started to erupt in the city below. The fallen debris had seemed to have caused some fires to catch. After a few moments of silence, a small smile appeared on the red queen's face. Maybe this distraction could work in her favour?

"Boss?" A feminine voice came through her scroll. It seemed that Emerald had been trying to contact her. From the location her scroll was projecting, the girl appeared to be on the edge of the stadium. The girl was obviously trying to get out before the monster started his killing spree.

"Yes, Emerald. I am aware of what's happening," Cinder's voice cut off anything that the girl was going to say. "However, this might play to our favour. The original plan is now a failure, but this Cell terrorist will provide enough fear and negative energy to draw the Grimm to Vale," she continued. Cinder could practically hear the discontent and worries spilling from her subordinates mouth.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked. Cinder thought for a moment. Emerald had, at this point, worn out her usefulness in the plan. All that was left to do was acquire the maiden powers and record footage of the horrible fate that was about to befall Vale. Really, the remainder of the plan relied on her achieving her goals. The rest of them were nothing but fodder to her.

"Your appearance will tip off Ironwood and the other staff. The cover story about returning to Mistral will be outed as false. You need to stay out of sight and record the footage like I had told Mercury to do. However, since he is indisposed, you will have to take his place," Cinder responded. Emerald was silent for a few moments before she responded.

"Understood ma'am." the line went dead as Cinder hung up. She pocketed her scroll as she turned to Beacon tower. She could see the lights in the student dorms light up as multiple third and fourth years that skipped out on the final match at the colosseum, began to gear up and prepare for a Grimm assault. She could already feel the tremors in the ground.

" _Sometimes, it's just too easy,_ " Cinder smirked as she made her way across the rooftops towards Beacon. However, a few hundred meters away, a certain individual floated in the air, watching as she took off towards Beacon. He watched her as she bounded across rooftops towards her goal. A scowl graced his face as he pulled out a flask and downed half the bottle.

"I guess the party's starting," Qrow drawled. A ear splitting explosion drew his attention towards the colosseum. The shock wave from the blast brought a hurricane to tear across Vale. Fire and smoke started to rise from the top of the stadium. His jaw tightened as he turned back to see Cinder getting closer to Beacon. He spared the colosseum one last look before he silently stalked the girl after the maiden powers.

" _You better have everything under control up there Gohan. I'm counting on you here._ "

* * *

Pyrrha blinked rapidly to get the dust out of her eyes, as she tried to get to her feet. She forced herself to look up from the prone position she had been thrown into after the blast. The moment she did, she wished she didn't. In that instant, all she desired was to be back home, safe and sound and away from the madness before her. The monster of nightmares was right there, standing in full view.

His slimy form was exactly as she remembered it. Forgetting the grotesque appearance of the monster was something she was sure would never happen. She could hear the audience in the stands gasping at the revelation of the monster as it started to walk forwards. Her eyes darted around the stadium, looking for Gohan, or anyone she knew. Her eyes caught with her teams. They were all on their feet, watching with horrified expressions.

However, Cell was not looking at her, but instead he had his back turned to her. At that moment, he had his greedy eyes locked onto her opponent. Penny Polendina managed to push herself to her feet and look at the new comer. Penny's face was a mixture of shock, and general wariness. It was hard to tell exactly what she was thinking.

"So, your Cell," Penny voiced, a dangerous edge to her tone. Anyone could tell the girl was slightly peeved. Anyone would be, and Penny's tone regarded the newcomer called Cell as a possible threat. The bug creature just grinned as he stalked towards her. Her senses told her to back away, and instinctively, she followed the advice of those instincts. Fighting Cell right now would not be ideal.

There were too many people around.

Before Pyrrha even knew what she was doing, her body was moving in retaliation to the threat bearing down on Penny.

"Stay away from her!" she zipped past Cell and stood in front of Penny protectively. Cell slowly came to a stop, his feral eyes looking Pyrrha up and down. The monster straightened up, projecting his chest outwards. Pyrrha couldn't tell what he was doing, but from the cracks and shuddering Cell was doing, it almost seemed like he was stretching. Cell was preparing for a fight.

Pyrrha could feel the cold grip of death closing in around her. Cell's very aura promised pain and agony, but she swallowed it and kept her composure.

"You… Pyrrha Nikos," Cell started. "You have grown considerably stronger since we last met. I'm almost impressed. The potential of this species is intriguing. The people of this planet hold such power, but have no idea the lengths they could achieve with it," the Android licked its lips. The amazon's hands started to sweat as she released a large portion of her power.

"Stay back!" she yelled. The grip on her weapon was like iron. "Don't come any closer!" she knew the words would fall on deaf ears. Cell was the kind of monster to break through any obstacle to achieve his goals. However, the words seemed almost instinctual. Her power paled in comparison to the mountains of energy she could sense in the pits of Cells being.

"Oh?" Cell chuckled. "Are you going to stop me?" his question was ultimately answered by the half-Saiyan that appeared out of thin air, right in front of Penny and Pyrrha. A black scowl permeated his face, showing no signs of fear, or terror. He stood like a wall… a pillar of hope that Pyrrha couldn't help but admire. His posture and presence in the arena suddenly brought hope to this horrible situation.

A dissatisfied scowl appeared on Cell's face. The look on the young Saiyan hybrid told Cell that escape was but a pipe dream this time around. The bio-android could already see the golden sparks springing to life around the teenage Saiyan's body. The boy's hair was already standing on end, as if the very transformation to a Super Saiyan was about to break free from the chains and shackles Gohan held it in. The wild, legendary power unleashed for all to see.

"Gohan, a pleasure to finally meet you again. It's been too long," Cell grinned. A brilliant golden aura flashed into existence around Cell as the ground started to shake violently. People in the audience started to scream as Pyrrha and Gohan immediately widened their eyes. The monstrous power almost had Pyrrha choking on air. Gohan's jaw tightened as he felt Cell's power skyrocket passed what it had been previously.

"H-How many people did you!-" Pyrrha demanded, her words falling short due to the disgust and horror. There were already tears in her eyes, sending silent prayers to the people who had been unfortunate enough to fall victim to this monster's crazed quest for power. Gohan could only growl, His hands tightening in the process.

" **Oh I lost count a long time ago, but know that their screams for mercy went unanswered,** " Cell grinned. "Now, am I going to have to make you to move to get to my prize, or are you going to make this easier on yourselves by standing aside. I need that android behind you, and if killing you allows me passage to her, then I will gladly do it," the bio-android stated. Gohan turned his head to face Penny in astonishment. The girl was backing away, a new look of fear and terror flooded her eyes.

" _An android!? But how...?_ " Gohan spun back around to Cell. Despite his distaste for androids, Penny was Ruby's friend, and he'd be damned if he would take that away from her, but he'd be having some serious words with Ironwood after this. The girl did come from Atlas after all. There was no doubt in his mind the general knew about her.

"I won't let you," the Saiyan hybrid snapped. "Your life ends here Cell," Gohan promised, venom dripping from his words. Cell grinned, powering up to prepare for the fight ahead. The sky turned black as the golden flames around the android thrashed around its body like a wild animal. Gohan stood, unaffected by the impromptu hurricane, while Pyrrha and Penny had to shield their face.

"Pyrrha, get Penny and evacuate the stadium. I will take Cell _alone_." Gohan ordered. Pyrrha looked like she wanted to protest, but the dark, black look on Gohan's face told her he would not repeat himself. She swallowed heavily as she turned to Penny. The Atlas android could not take her eyes off the green bio-android.

"Let's go Penny," Pyrrha voiced. After a few seconds, Penny still had yet to respond. The red haired girl tried again, this time more aggressively. "We need to leave right now Penny!" Pyrrha yelled, snapping the girl out of her thoughts. The android silently nodded as she turned to leave with Pyrrha. However, as the two turned to leave, Cell vanished from sight, and reappeared right in front of the two girls.

Gohan's eyes widened significantly, his body already turning to rush to their defense. Cell had slipped right passed his guard without him even _noticing_. Had he underestimated how much power the bio-android had acquired, or was he just unprepared for the sudden movement? He hadn't been expecting such speed. It was these sorts of things that cost people their lives!

Pyrrha had no time to react before she was backhanded away. The initial blow sent her body tumbling like a ragdoll. She quickly managed to regain balance a few moments after Cell had attacked. Her aura withstood the blow, but she shortly found a large beam of energy trailing after her.

The moment her eyes caught sight of the attack, she knew it would tear through her entire body like paper mache. There was no way she could block or defend against a power like that, leaving her the only viable option to dodge. Diving out of the way, she hadn't realized her mistake until it was too late. The attack had missed her, but now it had a new target. A target that had no chance of escaping. Gohan's eyes widened in horror, as did most of the people in the audience.

"NO!" the redhead's screams were drowned out by the genocide that commenced.

The beam tore through the invisible barricade that protected the crowd and blew up a large portion of the stadium. In a gruesome explosion of light, thousands of people lost their lives in an instant. Fire spread everywhere and the screaming started. People were up and running for their lives. The cameras and live streams were all destroyed or shut down in the process. So many people had lost their lives in just a few mere moments.

" **No!** " the cat faunus watched as people were slaughtered right before her eyes. "No! **No!** _**NO!**_ " Blake trembled, feeling her stomach twist. Blake watched helplessly as a small amount of survivors scrambled around in vain trying to put out the torrents of fire now scorching their skin. Some people were lucky enough to have perished in the blast. Other's slowly bled to death from dismemberment. It was a horrible sight to behold. Blake was only just out of range from the blast to shield herself.

"Evacuate the colosseum! Everyone out now!" Ironwood commanded over the microphone. The people in the stadium didn't need to be told twice, or at all in this situation. After the attack had connected, people had started to run for their lives, screaming and crying as loved ones died all around them. No one could have possibly seen this coming. While the people screamed in horror, the distant cries of the Grimm thundered through the skies.

Hope was quickly falling towards rock bottom.

Down on the stadium floor, Blake had flown down, through the destroyed barrier and joined Pyrrha's side. The jet black haired faunus helped her friend back to her feet, despite the sickening feeling that had descended upon them. Gohan had managed to defend Penny from whatever Cell was trying to do. It was clear from what the Bio-Android had said that he was after Penny, but for what reason he didn't know.

" **You…** " Gohan's voice had become dark and filled with rage. Blake and Pyrrha could feel the atmosphere grow dense as a yellow flame burst to life at the half-Saiyans feet. His eyes promised nothing but justice and divine retribution. " **How dare you!** Not one of those lives will go unaccounted for, _**NOT ONE!**_ " Gohan screamed as light exploded around him, engulfing his body in a majestic golden flame.

Pyrrha had seen this transformation once before, but back then it was different. Yang had gotten hurt, and this shift in Gohan's power just sort of… happened. It was as if a flame had just been lit. However, this situation was different. The stakes were higher than ever, and now, watching him transform… it was like witnessing a bonfire of power erupt into a vengeful inferno. The sheer power rolling off him was intense and dense.

There was no more hiding this legendary power. In a matter of moments, everyone present saw Gohan's muscles enlarge and pulsate with raw power. His hair flashed for a brief second before shifting into a transcendent golden glow. His hair grew wilder, and his eyes changed from onyx black to sea green. There was no love in those green eyes, only a lifetime promise of pain and agony.

With one final scream, Gohan had transformed into a Super Saiyan, cracking and destroying the ground beneath him. This was his full power. He wasn't holding back like last time. This was every drop of his power in usage for all to see. It wasn't a regular transformation like Pyrrha had seen when they first faced Cell. No… this was more defined and sharp. Gohan's very form was glowing and radiating power.

His body holding the unbridled fury of thousands of innocent people crying out for justice. Cell would not go unpunished.

"So… the little Super Saiyan finally came out of hiding, did he? Well, I'm sorry to tell you this Gohan, but you're no match for me," Cell laughed as he sped forward and met Gohan full on. The Saiyan wasn't even phased. Cell would be the strongest opponent he had ever faced, but the collective might of Android Seventeen and Eighteen was comparable to the monsters energy alone. The monster had grown outrageously strong, and now it was his duty to put this nightmare to bed.

Gohan caught Cell's fist dead on, not even budging an inch.

"What!?" the monsters stunned face didn't go unnoticed. "Where have you been keeping all this power!?" the android demanded. Gohan's fist tightened, feeling the bones in Cell's fist crack. The creature screamed.

"I'm going to make you pay. Not a single life you have taken will go unavenged. I _will_ make you **suffer!** " Gohan growled. Cell grunted as he went in for another strike, forcing the Saiyan hybrid to disengage from the monster. Cell jumped back and powered up. His beady eyes focusing in on Gohan carefully. This had been almost the second time he had underestimated this boy. The son of Goku was bound to have many tricks up his sleeve after all.

"This is going to be more difficult than I had thought," Cell grumbled.

Unfortunately for the Green Menace, Gohan was well versed in going up against all odds. They launched into battle without warning, disappearing and reappearing all over the now, torn and damaged arena of Amity Colosseum. Penny, Pyrrha and Blake who were now joined by Ruby were now helping Pyrrha out of the Stadium.

"Are you okay Pyrrha!?" Ruby asked frantically. The red hooded girl seemed to be almost in a panicked state. Pyrrha looked up at the crimsonette before nodding. She managed to steady herself on her feet. She turned to look at the fight raging on back the arena. Green and golden blurs sped all around the arena at lightning fast speeds.

"I'm fine! We need to leave," Pyrrha stated quickly. Ruby looked towards the arena with a confused look on her face. She couldn't see where Gohan and Cell had gone. However, all she could see were strange displacements in the air, followed by sonic booms.

"Where did they go!? I can't see them!" she asked, a worried look on her face. Blake grunted as she gestured towards the arena, a sour, sick look on her face. The girl had clearly had enough of being here and wanted to get as far away as possible. No one could blame her. After seeing thousands of people die in such a way, it was hard to not want to run away.

"They're still there, they are just moving too fast. I can't keep up. I see a flash every now and then, but that's it."

"We don't have time to stand around and watch!" Pyrrha cut in. The look on her face was desperate. "We need to leave now!" all the eyes were on her now. Blake, Ruby and Penny nodded as they turned and ran out the nearest exit. As they ran, they could see the last passenger ship take off from the colosseum docking bay.

"Oh no! We're too late!" the crimsonette cired.

"Pyrrha!" a familiar voice called out. A blonde figure appeared at the end of the passenger ship, along with a black haired male, and an orange haired girl. Upon narrowing their eyes, it seemed that the remnants of team JNPR had been evacuated along with the other Huntsman trainees. "Hold on Pyrrha, we can come back for you!" he called out. Just as he yelled that, a violent tremor shook the stadium.

"No! Jaune! We can find another way off! Don't worry!" Pyrrha turned to the others. "Come on! Let's go!" she ran towards a vacate docking bay for ships. It was empty and relatively safe for flight. Blake, seeing what Pyrrha was planning on doing, nodded in agreement.

"Good idea Pyrrha. I can carry Ruby, you take Penny," an aura exploded around Blake. Pyrrha nodded in agreement, however, before she could power up to take flight, a energy blast hit the platform they were standing on. They lost their balance, Ruby and Penny falling on their backs and sliding towards the edge of the docking bay.

"Don't think you can escape me that easily!" Cell roared. The Android appeared before them, only to be smacked away by a golden blur. Gohan appeared in his place.

"I got this! Keep going and get to safety!"

Cell growled as he watched his opportunity closing out fast. He needed to deal with Gohan quickly, and it was becoming apparent that the teenage Saiyan was still much stronger than him. He needed to incapacitate the boy… or distract him. His feral eyes glanced towards the passenger ships that were heading to Vale to help evacuate more civilians. A malicious idea formed inside the creature's head.

Grinning, Cell powered up and shot high into the sky. It wasn't long before he noticed the golden blur tailing him closely, ensuring that he couldn't escape. The half-Saiyan sped past him, cutting him off and halting him in his tracks. The bio-android growled in irritation as the Saiyan floated in front of him, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Sorry, but running away is no longer an option,"

A menacing laugh filled the air as Cell lifted his hand and charged a energy blast. Gohan got ready to defend, but found an amused look on the Android's face. Cell burst into hysterical laughter, as if the monster had just laid the perfect trap.

"Oh Gohan, you misunderstand," Cell drawled as he gestured to the passenger ships carrying hundreds, if not thousands of innocent people. Gohan's eyes widened in horror. "This isn't for you, it's for them,"

"Don't think I'll give you the chance!" Gohan snapped, shooting towards Cell. However, the bio-android already had enough energy to discharge the blasts. Before Gohan could reach Cell, the attacks exploded from the monster's hands, rocketing down towards the passenger ships. A foot buried itself in Cell's torso, forcing blood and spittle to erupt from the creature's mouth. His head immediately turned to follow the energy waves that Cell had fired.

" **NO!** " the desperation in his voice was in vain, as he was already out of range to stop the attacks from connecting with the ships.

"It's either fight me and let those people die, or you let me chase after your little friends!" Cell bellowed with laughter as the blast collided with the ships. It wasn't enough to destroy them, but the energy blast ensured that every life on board those ships would perish should the ship fall. Even from here, Gohan could hear the screams of innocent people cry out for help as they plummeted towards the ground. He had no choice.

He had to save those people!

"Damnit!" Gohan tore off and sped after the falling ships as fast as he could, leaving a cackling Cell behind him. Cell watched as Gohan's golden trail flew off into the distance to aid those ships that were currently falling to the ground, smoke billowing out of the damaged areas. Cell wasted no time in diverting his attention to the girls who were about to take flight off the stadium.

Cell dived down and intercepted the four girls trying to find a way out of the now smoking colosseum. The fires were starting to spread and so far, they were the only four left in the stadium. The rest had already evacuated and were currently falling to the ground in their damaged ships.

"Now…" the bio-android grinned as he landed in front of the girls. "Be a good bunch of girls and hand the Android over to me. If you do, I promise you will live to see a few more days," Cell motioned towards Penny. Pyrrha and Blake stepped forward. Cell frowned. Those two would prove troublesome with their special abilities. He would have to make short work of them.

"Ruby, take Penny and run! We will hold him off. You have to get Penny somewhere safe!" Blake ordered. Ruby could only nod dumbly before she took Penny by the hand and ran in an opposite direction. Cell could only grin as he watched the two girls run away.

"I hope you realize that you just dug your own graves," Cell chuckled. Pyrrha and Blake launched forward to attack him head on. The girl's teamwork was flawless and had Cell on the defence, but the bug man didn't seem to be taking much damage each time one of them managed to get through his guard. However, he wasn't faring so well either when it came to hitting them.

"You two have improved exponentially since we last met. I dare say you have surpassed what I thought was possible for the vermin on this pathetic planet, but you two are no match for me. You may be fast, but I'm…" Cell disappeared and reappeared behind them with renewed and improved speed. The girls had no time to react.

"Much faster!" Cell slammed both their heads together. They slammed together with such force that Pyrrha's remaining aura cracked, shattering on impact, rendering her immediately unconscious. Her battle with Penny left her with minimal aura, and that hit from Cell earlier put her dangerously low. This was just the final straw.

Blake on the other hand, was able to remain conscious. Her aura took the brunt of the impact, allowing her to remain upright and stable, and since she had taken this kind of abuse before from Cell, she was still able to keep fighting. However, the cat faunus now had a new problem. Pyrrha was down and out, leaving her in a horribly one-sided one on one battle with someone leagues beyond her capabilities.

"Please, as if you can continue fighting. Your friend over there is going to suffocate from all the smoke if she doesn't get out of here soon. You might as well give up-URK!" Cell was cut off when a golden blur slammed into him. The attack had caught him by surprise, something which angered him greatly. The monster regained his senses, glaring towards his new attacker.

Yang Xiao Long touched down and glared at Cell with hateful eyes. The blonde flicked her head, and blew some hair out of her crimson eyes. She turned to Blake, exchanging a silent conversation with her partner. There wasn't any time for words, and Blake knew that. Picking up Pyrrha's unconscious body Blake ran and took off back to the Lookout. Yang returned her gaze towards the Green Menace, who was currently returning her glare tenfold as he got back to his feet.

"You girls seem to pop out of the woodwork like insects," Cell growled as he wiped some blood off his mouth. Yang smirked, fueling the anger that was growing within the bio-android.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately? That's the most hypocritical thing I've ever heard," Yang snarked. Cell growled and launched into a full blown assault. Yang barely had time to react before the monster landed a hit directly to her face. Yang skidded back before her aura flared and her power increased. Blood flowed from her lip that had split from the hit. Not even her aura could protect her fully from Cell's overwhelming strength.

However, it seemed that Yang's semblance might even the field.

"Let's go, you ugly son of a-" Yang couldn't finish her sentence before Cell engaged her in combat once again. She was woefully underprepared for the sheer speed the fight was paced at. She was durable and could take punishment. There was no denying that, but with every hit that Cell landed on her, she could feel herself getting both stronger, and more fragile. If she could get one good hit on him, then maybe she might gain an upper hand.

Luckily, Cell got cocky and overextended.

Yang found the opening, blocking an incoming attack, parrying it and then dashing forward aiming for her target. Cell was prepared for this. He leapt up and over her. However, what he was not expecting was for her to twist her body. He knew he had made a fatal error when he heard Ember Celica load and click. The buxom blonde grinned as Cell's features widened in horror.

" _Absorb this!_ " Yang fired. The enhanced strength, and semblance empowered shells shredded Cell's tail like paper mache. The shells had cut clean through the bio-androids tail, and with his guard broken through, the monster was sure to feel the damage. Cell screamed as purple blood squirted and dripped off the dismembered appendage and onto the destroyed tiled ground. The stadium was now a full inferno, and the heat was rising.

Yang felt the colosseum was about to fall. Not even checking to see if Cell would make it out of it, she turned and booked it. Taking flight, she zipped out of the falling stadium just in time to see it fall to the ground and explode just over the Emerald Forest. Nothing could have made it out of there alive, but apparently, Cell wasn't part of that equation.

From the fire and flames, the green shadow loomed into the air to face the fiery blonde. With a grunt, Cell regenerated, a spare tail burst out of his backside, dripping a slick green fluid. The sheer sight of the event made Yang want to hurl. Cell glowered evilly towards Yang. A familiar sense of dread and despair filled her being, as the glowing slit eyes glared at her hatefully.

"I am going to make you pay for that," Cell promised angrily. Beads of sweat started to drip down her forehead as the monster floated closer to her. She remained in a defensive stance, but something told her she wasn't coming out of this without injury. Before she even knew what was happening, Cell was behind her. What felt like a truck, slammed into her with jaw-dropping force.

She stood no match against this nightmare incarnate.

* * *

Saving the ships from plummeting to their doom was no easy feat. Gohan was forced to utilize a technique he was not very fond of, and that was adopting Tien's multi-form technique. By splitting his strength up, he was able to create copies of himself to gently lower the ships to the ground and allow people to escape the burning pile of metal.

It didn't help that a stray Atlas warship had started open firing on friendlies. Something else was going on other than Cell's grand reveal, and Gohan could tell that the damage inflicted on Beacon and Vale would be severe. It would take months, maybe even years to fix all the damage, and the chaos didn't seem to be stopping any time soon. Gohan had never seen so many Grimm before. The skies were littered with them, and hordes were rampaging across the ground.

" _The Grimm aren't my priority. Cell need's to be stopped!_ "

"Gohan!" a voice called out. The half-Saiyan was about ready to take off back into the sky to find Cell when the voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned around to see Jaune, Ren and Nora run up to him. All of them had confused and worried looks on their faces. Their expressions brought an unneeded amount of stress to Gohan's shoulders.

"Please tell me Pyrrha and the others made it out of the stadium!" he cried. The desperation in his voice was mirrored by Ren and Nora's expressions. All three of them were equally terrified and worried about the fates of their friends and classmates. Gohan quickly closed his eyes and extended his senses. He was surprised to find that Yang was fighting Cell, and holding her own at best. His heart rate did increase dramatically whenever her energy fluctuated, but extending his senses further, he noted that Blake and Pyrrha were heading towards the Lookout.

It also appeared that Ruby and Penny had made it out of the flaming colosseum and back down to Beacon. Where they were going, he wasn't sure, but they needed to get as far away from Cell as they possibly could. Penny, for some reason unknown to him, was Cell's target. He had to get back into action, and find Cell again.

"They are safe for now, but if I let Cell have his way… none of us will live to see the sunrise tomorrow," Gohan stated with a dangerous edge to his tone. Nora and Ren exchanged glances while Jaune could only sigh in frustration. All three of them had absolutely no idea what was going on, but it was clear that the entire Kingdom was under siege. They had to fulfill their duty as a Huntsman.

"We can handle the ground. Just make sure you kill whatever that _thing_ is," Jaune retorted. Gohan nodded and exploded into the sky, leaving behind the students on the ground. The ships were saved, and so were the people inside of them. There were enough huntress and hunters on the passenger carriers to defend the people from the masses of Grimm that seemed to be assaulting Vale now.

The half-Saiyan growled as he tore through the skies towards Beacon. Yang's energy was dangerously low, but stable. Cell was with her, but it seemed as if the two were travelling together now. It had been clear that Cell had easily defeated Yang, but he had kept her alive for some reason. The bio-android was playing a dangerous game. The boiling rage was close to overflowing inside of the teenager Saiyan. He could feel his body drawing power from these intense emotions.

He couldn't let them get the better of him. That was how Vegeta died. Consumed by his pride and anger, he had rushed off to fight the Androids, only to find that he was no match for them, despite being a Super Saiyan. History would have been much different if that stubborn Saiyan had just waited. Maybe they would have had a chance.

Maybe everyone didn't have to die.

Gohan shook the depressing thoughts out of his head as he thundered towards Cell, who seemed to be closing in on Ruby and Penny. Whatever he was trying to do, Gohan couldn't let him achieve it. For the sake of Remnant and everyone that lived here. Cell achieving his evolution meant the death of every single living thing on Remnant.

* * *

"This way Penny," Ruby said as she turned another corner with her android friend. Penny was trying desperately to process what was going on. Nothing made sense to her and everything had happened so fast. It was only less than thirty minutes ago, where she was still fighting Pyrrha Nikos in the stadium. So many people had lost their lives, and it had come out of _nowhere_. How could such a being end so many lives so quickly?

"Ruby what's going on? I don't understand," Penny asked desperately. She couldn't stop thinking about what that monster wanted with her. He had called her an android. How was it possible that it knew about her? "What does that thing want with me?" the ginger continued. She couldn't help but link the recent break in at Atlas to this creature called Cell. Ironwood had been very tight-lipped about it. He had barely told her anything.

Ruby desperately tried to think of an answer, but there was no inkling as to what was going on, or why the monster wanted one of her good friends. She didn't even know what Cell looked like until today. She had only heard stories from Blake and Yang. Now she wished she had never seen him. His grotesque form made her sick, and that only amplified when she watched the monster slaughter all those audience members.

"I don't know Penny, and I don't think either of us want to know. Let's just keep running until our legs can't carry us anymore," Ruby replied nervously. As they were running, Ruby had called on her weapon locker so at least one of them could deal with the Grimm they came across. Penny's weapons had been damaged beyond recognition when Cell had entered the arena. The only thing the girl had was her strength.

They had made it to the gardens just behind Beacon Academy before Ruby ran out of breath. It was relatively quiet back here, and the sounds of battle were muffled at best. Considering all the fighting was going on outside the front of Beacon, the backside of it seemed rather quiet. Ruby took a deep breath and calmed down. She hoped they had made it far enough.

"I hope this was enough to escape from that thing," Ruby exhaled. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken," a raspy voice sounded from behind the two girls. Landing right behind them, Cell appeared with Yang hanging limply from his right arm. Ruby jumped to Penny's defense and faced the creature defiantly. Her silver eyes only widened when she caught sight of her sister dangling loosely from the monster's arm. The blonde was silent and unmoving, causing Ruby's heart to drop.

Yang… couldn't be dead. It just wasn't possible!

Bloodied and beaten, her hair stained red and her nose clearly broken. The girl looked like she had been put through the worst kind of torture. Ruby's eyes watered as she shakily pulled out Crescent Rose and pointed it at the creature. Her knees were trembling as her eyes watered. Penny merely glared at the creature that had cornered them.

"You…! You let my sister go right now!" Ruby demanded. The crimsonettes anger was fighting a fierce internal battle with her fear. Cell could only chuckle as he pulled Yang up and dangled her in front of Ruby. Her sister was unconscious, having been beaten to a bloody pulp, the girl had her eyes shut and her chest was steadily rising and falling, showing Ruby that she was still alive.

"If you know what's good for your sister, then you will hand over the android without a fuss," Cell ordered with a grin. Ruby couldn't figure out what to do. She was presented with an almost impossible choice. Trade Penny for Yang? She couldn't do that! How could she possibly make a choice to trade one of her best friends for the life of her sister? It wasn't fair!

" _Life isn't fair,_ " painful memories returned to her. Losing her mother had been scarring enough. She wasn't prepared to make a decision like this!

"I- I…" Ruby choked on her words as tears started streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't make this trade! She didn't know what to do! She clenched her eyes tightly and prayed to whatever deity was listening. Her trembling increased when a pained moan reached her ears. Yang's unconscious, agonized groans didn't make this situation any easier!

" _Uncle Qrow… Mom… please help me… I… I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!_ " Ruby screamed internally. Penny saw this conflict tearing her best friend apart. She didn't understand it, but seeing Ruby cry like that made her feel less real than she already was. If leaving her side and returning her sister to her would stop those tears, she would gladly do so. It was a sacrifice she was ready to make. Being human was all about sacrifice. That's what her father had told her anyway.

"Okay," the ginger declared. Ruby slowly turned to Penny, the orange haired robot could only give a friendly smile. The red caped girl didn't understand. Why was Penny doing this? She was her friend! Why was she…?

"Penny… please. I-I don't want you to-" Ruby choked. Penny could only place her hands on her best friend's shoulders in reassurance. The bright, small smile that she gave Ruby wasn't enough to stop the tears flowing, but it was enough to show the crimsonette that her mind was made up. She was a machine designed for combat to help bring peace. If she wasn't ready to trade her life for her best friend's sister, then she had already failed in the one purpose she was designed for.

Besides…

 _She wasn't a real girl._

 **A real life is worth so much more than a fake one.**

"It's okay Ruby. Don't cry," the android smiled. "Promise me that you will be safe," Penny asked. Ruby trembled as she took Penny's hand and pulled the android into her embrace. Ruby didn't want to let go, and neither did Penny. The two hadn't known each other very long, but it was clear that their friendship was one of the strongest. However, the resident murderer was starting to get impatient.

"This sentimental moment is agonizing. Hurry it up," Cell snapped.

"I… I promise Penny," Ruby smiled as a fresh stream of tears poured out of her eyes. Penny let go and turned around. Glaring at Cell, she stalked forward until she was only a few feet away from the monster. Cell grinned as Ruby stood by, helpless as her android friend walked towards the creature without fear. Penny stopped and shot Cell a hateful look.

"I'm here, now let Ruby's sister go!" she demanded. Cell grinned, as he threw the body in his hands to the red girl in the cape. Ruby barely caught Yang before the blonde hit the ground. The younger sister gently put Yang down and kneeled beside her almost crippled sister.

Cell would honor this deal since the girl was so brave to sacrifice herself to him like this. It was almost too easy. A bunch of sentimental fools. He viewed it as such weakness.

"I have to admit. You have some serious confidence walking up to me like that. I will give you applause where it's due, you certainly are brave, but foolish," Cell grinned. His tail snaked around and positioned it over top of her. He was so close to evolving, he could practically taste it. He could feel Gohan's energy closing in, if he didn't absorb this android now, he would miss his chance!

Time seemed to slow down as Penny gave one last look towards Ruby, who was cradling her sister, watching with horrified eyes.

"Good-bye Ruby. Thank you for being my friend," Penny said with a smile. A lone tear dripped down the robot's cheek, and glistened before it hit the ground. Cell's tail opened and swallowed her whole. His maniacal laughter echoed around the area as Penny was successfully absorbed. Cell's body started to morph, and change.

A golden blur sped onto the scene just in time to witness the transformation.

"NO! I'm too late!" he cursed.

Power rolled off the glowing form as Cell's body finalized its changes. Another burst of light erupted out of the bio-android before the dust cleared. When Cell's body stopped glowing, his new form had been completed. His strength and power multiplied several times over. It was stunning and chilling at the same time. Gohan was practically speechless.

Instead of his insect-like appearance, he was now a hulking figure with an even longer tail. His cicada-like wings where now gone, and now he just looked like a giant force to be reckoned with. His semi-perfect form was now complete. There was only one more stage to his evolution, and he was going to savour getting there.

"No…" Gohan breathed. He hadn't been fast enough. He had let Cell win again! Now he could sense his power more than ever before. Freeza was in there along with King Cold and so many other powers, each more powerful and evident than before. The new form of Cell glistened as he flexed his fingers. He drew in a deep breath and then exhaled.

"Ah," His new voice echoed. "Now this is exhilarating," Cell voiced, his voice deep and masculine. He admired his new body. Looking himself over, he could only imagine what his perfect form would look like. His final evolution would be a sight to behold. He liked this form so much better than the previous one. Now he could truly feel the power coursing through his veins. His true purpose was starting to be fulfilled.

"How…" Gohan asked as he touched down next to Ruby. He checked on Yang. At least she was still breathing. She was lucky enough not to be dead yet. Cell turned to Gohan and grinned.

"Well, it's quite simple really," Cell chuckled as he gestured to his new, glorious appearance. "After breaking into Atlas, I found the schematics for that little Android. Turns out she's made of the same technology that Dr. Gero used to conduct his research on. She was made from the remains of Android Thirteen. The very same Android you destroyed thirteen years ago," Cell smirked. Gohan's eyes widened.

Penny was a reconstruction of Android Thirteen? The same one he had fought at Mountain Glenn? If only he could remember what had happened, he would have been able to put a stop to all this madness before it had a chance to begin. Cursing the predicament he found himself in, he prepared for a fight. He had to protect Ruby and Yang! Cell was stronger than ever now, but he couldn't afford to falter!

"After I had a small… _chat_ , with her creator, I made my way here to Vale. I am an awfully patient person when it comes to getting the things I want. Good things come to those who are patient, and I was willing to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike," Cell explained, chuckling as he examined the horrified looks of both Gohan and Ruby. "She was always hidden away from the public eye, that is until the tournament. She would be right out in the open, and ripe for the taking," the bio-android finished. Ruby was silent, while Gohan was trying exceptionally hard not to let his emotions overrun his mind.

Suddenly a power skyrocketed, drawing both Cell's eyes towards Ruby. Gohan, sensing the danger managed to grab Yang and jump away. The girl's power continued to rise, and show no signs of stopping. A red aura exploded around the small fifteen-year-old as raw, white power started leaking from her eyes. She took a few steps towards Cell. The Android in question turned his full attention to Ruby.

Ruby's eyes started glowing fiercely. She had long since fallen into despair. Everything that had happened had managed to push her over the edge. It all happened so quickly. She had almost lost Yang, and now she had lost Penny. So many people had been hurt and killed today because of this monster. Her smaller, more honest soul felt tainted with the stench of death.

It made her sick.

It made her angry.

She had never felt genuine hatred for anything in her life until now.

"Having a melt down are we? Come on girl, show me what you've _got,_ " Cell chuckled as he turned to face Ruby. He watched as her eyes began to glow even brighter than before. He waited for a few moments as Ruby's head lifted to look at Cell. The Android couldn't even see her eyes because they were glowing so brightly. A sense of dread filling both himself and Gohan. She was slowly spiralling out of control, her energy rising to inconceivable heights.

"This isn't going to end well," Gohan muttered as he slowly lifted an energy shield to protect himself and Yang. Ruby's energy was flagging wilding, lashing out at whatever was closest to her. Gohan wasn't sure if his shield would hold at this range. Her power had far exceeded Cell's previous form, and it didn't show any signs of stopping. Her form slowly started to drift into the air, her feet levitating off the ground.

Cell actually took a step back.

"You think you can scare me? Who do you think I am-"

Ruby screamed and all hell broke loose.

In an explosion of light, Ruby's form exploded, flooding the area in a brilliant white light. Gohan held steady, keeping the energy shield up to protect Yang and himself. However, whatever Ruby was doing was practically sucking the energy right out of the shield. Gohan had to continuously feed the barrier more and more energy. A small crack appeared in the shield. The sheer power of this phenomenon was enough to push Gohan's defense to it's limit.

Cell on the other hand took the full blunt force of whatever power Ruby had exerted.

" **What's this!?** " Cell screamed. The light lit up the sky and the entirety of Vale. It was something to behold as many people, even the Grimm stopped and stared at the glorious light that filled the sky.

* * *

Darkness covered every part of the underground vault, presenting an unsettling tense atmosphere to the two people currently occupying it. Making her way down to the depths of Beacon Academy, Cinder could not shake the terrible feeling that she was walking into a trap. Her mind was filled to the brim with uncertainties, and she was right to feel these things. Her plans had been compromised and abruptly changed at the last second.

The feeling of doubt clouded her senses. It wasn't until she made it to the bottom where her fears became a reality. A fierce scowl invaded her features as she stopped dead in her tracks. Standing across from her at a fair distance, was Professor Ozpin. The moment the two caught sight of each other, the eldest of them chuckled lightly.

"So, it seems I was right to assume you would come here at the first sign of chaos," Ozpin remarked casually. He had been waiting for the infiltrator to reveal herself to him. As he stood in the vault, she appeared before him just like he had predicted. Cinder simply frowned, refusing to let her raging emotions get the better of her. She looked past him to see the brown girl Amber, the one which she had assaulted previously, lying in the metal coffin, devoid of any life.

Cinder's jaw tightened. She had been played like a fool. Amber was dead, and now the powers lay in the hands of another woman of Ozpin's choosing. It would take months, maybe even years to find the other half of her power. Nothing infuriated Cinder more than being outplayed by those who she looked down upon. It disgusted her to accept the fact that she had failed.

"You have already transferred the powers," Cinder noted blandly. She didn't miss the crude smile that appeared on Ozpin's face.

"Yes, but it was not you who forced my hand. Rather, a common threat that we both share," Ozpin responded carefully. "With Cell making his presence on Remnant known, I had a feeling that Salem's strategy would have to change, especially when Gohan foiled your attempts at infiltrating the CCT," the man continued. Cinder held onto her passive facade, controlling her temper, and maintaining a confident posture.

"I had no idea such power existed. I was already too deeply rooted into Beacon to make any serious changes to fit your little 'ace' into the bigger picture. Not only did he foil my attempts to hack the CCT, but he erased every Grimm that tried to invade Vale after I went to the trouble of planning the Breach," Cinder growled lightly, flames erupting in her hands. Ozpin remained still, a knowing smirk on his face.

"And yet here you are, at the end of the road with nothing to show for it. Are you proud of yourself? I'm sure Salem is not one to tolerate such failure," the man remarked. A swipe of Cinder's hand sent a torrent of fire towards Ozpin. The older man didn't even try to dodge, letting the attack hit him straight on. When the flames cleared, he showed no signs of damage. "You're going to have to try a little harder than that if you seek to kill me, Cinder Fall,"

"You forget, old man, that I hold half the power of the Fall Maiden. It doesn't matter where your little _tool_ hides, you know the Maiden's power can't be separated like this for long. In the end, it will always seek out it's other half," Cinder retorted. Ozpin merely sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. No matter who Salem placed on the board, there was never any way to reason with these people.

"You are right," the headmaster admitted tiredly. "It's just a shame that someone such as yourself has had their mind poisoned by Salem. You're a pawn of your Queen, and you will forever remain one," Ozpin stated rather sadly. Cinder merely chuckled again.

"I am no _pawn_ ," she spat the word as if it were venom. "If I have these powers, Salem wouldn't dare think of disposing me. I am too valuable to her for her to simply toss aside. I will be sure that I will remain that way, until I am powerful enough to topple her," Cinder replied with conviction as fire appeared in her hand once again. The older man gave her an amused smile, as if to mock her promise.

"You wish to overcome the mother of Grimm? Please…" Ozpin waved the younger girl off. " _Many_ better people than you have tried- more powerful and brighter might I add. What chance do you have against the likes of her?" he asked. Cinder frowned at his words. She wanted to be powerful, and she wanted to be feared. That was her dream, and she would have nothing less. She wasn't about to let the words of a deluded headmaster ruin that for her.

"It is my destiny to do so, Ozpin. I will not stop, and I will not falter until I have achieved what I desire," Cinder replied darkly. The echo's of Ozpin's laughter trailed through the black darkness of the vault. The red queen couldn't figure out why the man was laughing at her statement.

"You are strong willed, something many people lack. I have no doubt you _might_ eventually achieve your goals, but what will it take to do so? What will you sacrifice to achieve those selfish desires? How many people will you kill? How many families burn to complete your selfish goals, I wonder?" Ozpin asked no one in particular.

"Enough," Cinder snapped viciously. "I shall do whatever it takes."

"Then I shall do whatever it takes to stop you here," he retorted calmly. Cinder summoned her two swords and readied herself for combat. She gazed at him, noting his calm demeanor. His posture screamed confidence, experience and many other things that Cinder wished she could have. This man was decades older than her, there was no telling what kind of tactics and powers he had in his arsenal.

"You will tell me where the Fall Maiden is," Cinder growled. Ozpin simply replied by shooting forth and engaging her in one on one. Cinder dashed forward with blinding agility, meeting him head on. She would get what she wanted. She was determined to survive and be the strongest.

She wasn't about to let her story end here.

* * *

Touching down in Beacon's courtyard, Blake arrived just in time to see the fighting take a positive turn. Huntsman and huntresses of all ages were working together to repel the invading Grimm forces. Stray members of the White Fang were also being grouped up and arrested. While the fighting was still far from over, Blake could tell that if something were to break through the strong forces of Beacon, the Kingdom would fall.

Turning, she decided her abilities would be best suited aiding Gohan in the fight against Cell. So while she was on that train of thought, she concluded that finding where Ruby and Penny had run off to was her top priority. She noted that Pyrrha's team was tearing through waves of Grimm, along with the other students. She slipped away before anyone noticed she was even there.

Blake dashed behind the cafeteria, following Ruby's energy signature until her eyes caught sight of something that chilled her to the very core. A brief glance into the cafeteria had her eyes landing on one of the people that had influenced her life the most since she was just a kid. A man that she had admired, and now feared… the White Fang commander himself.

Adam Taurus.

The moment she caught sight of his appearance, he looked up and their eyes met. He dropped the person he was currently holding by the neck and turned to look at Blake fully. The person he had been holding dropped to the floor, and immediately scrambled to escape from certain death. Adam didn't even bat an eye at the victim, as his attention was now solely focused on the black haired beauty that stood across from him.

Steeling her nerves, she stepped into the cafeteria, a brave, confident look on her face.

Blake didn't have time to be scared of Adam Taurus anymore. _No_. She had come so far now. Adam was her own personal demon that had haunted her dreams ever since she had abandoned him on the train that fateful day. However, now it was time to confront her demons, and finally put them to rest. Blake did so by slowly removing her Gambol Shroud and stalking towards Adam with a scowl on her face. Adam watched with amusement as his ex-partner approached him without a shred of fear.

"Well now, this is a change isn't it? I half expected you to run away like a coward," Adam practically spat. Blake's expression didn't change, as she now stood only meters away from him. Ruby had to wait, this matter was personal, and needed to be dealt with. She wished she never had to see him again, but it seemed that fate was dealing her a bad hand again. With all the crap she had been through dealing with Cell, Adam Taurus was now a fly on a very large wall.

What could he possibly do to her that Cell hadn't already threatened to do?

"What are you doing here Adam?" She demanded. Adam frowned.

"Changing the world. Continuing our dream… _your_ dream," He snarled viciously. Blake's jaw tightened, her hands shaking in anger.

"My dream was for equality! Not to be feared! That's what I wanted!" Blake shot back. Adam growled and shot forward. Blake was ready, her sword clashed with his and suddenly they were evenly matched. Blake wasn't going to take this lying down. Adam was hurting innocent people. He was destroying what the faunus had worked so hard for. She had the power to stop him from dismantling what she was fighting for, and she was going to _use_ it.

"What you want is impossible!" Adam went in for a kick while they were in sword lock, but Blake saw this coming and raised her knee, blocking the kick completely. Her aura took a hit, but she barely felt the impact of it. Her energy began to rise to match her anger, fueling her strength and power. Adam suddenly found himself being pushed back, her surprisingly superior strength surpassing his.

"No, it's not! I won't stop until we have achieved equality! What your doing is erasing all that hard work! You're spreading fear!" Blake screamed back. They broke the sword lock, sparks dancing off their blades like tiny fireworks. In an instant, their weapons were already in motion again. Another set of hot, dangerous sparks clashed as Adam pushed harder, pushing Blake back slightly. However, the sheer power she now possessed allowed her to not only match Adam's brute strength, but to overpower it.

"I'm doing what's necessary! Are you truly that naïve to think that a few apologies and peaceful acts are going to make the humans stop treating us like wild animals!? NO! It doesn't work like that Blake! You should show them! The only way to do that, is by showing them that we are stronger!" Adam snapped back.

"I should have left with my parents. You're insane!" Blake broke of the second sword lock and delivered a kick to his face. Adam's mask cracked a bit but stayed on his face. He spat out a bit of blood. He raised his shotgun-sheath and fired. Blake took the blow full on, and was sent crashing into the wall behind her. She slid down and collapsed to her knees, having been winded from the attack. The force behind his weapon was shockingly powerful.

"Your parents are cowards," Adam spat hatefully. "They left to govern that horrible spit of land that is an insult to our kind. Menagerie… you might as well just call it a Zoo! A place to dump all the faunus so that the humans could forget about us," he continued to rant. Blake knew his words were true. They had shared the same visions not that long ago, but Blake had seen so much since coming to Beacon.

She had met Ruby,Yang, Weiss and all the rest. She had even made friends with _Weiss_! A Schnee of all people! Someone that she blamed for all the hatred towards her kind, but Weiss was none-the-wiser. She had grown up, being taught that the White Fang were evil, and rightly so! They had tormented her, and threatened her family for years! She had every right to hate and fear them!

"I'm not going to let you just dismantle all the work my parents achieved. Starting from now, I'm taking you down," Blake stated with a groan as she pulled herself to her feet. A powerful obsidian aura of power exploded, circling her body, lifting debris around her. Her hair fluttered beautifully as her flaming purple energy circled her body. She looked up to see that Adam had stepped back, slightly in shock at the power she was displaying.

"You won't hurt any more people Adam," Blake declared. Adam could only scowl.

"You can try," He snarled.

She shot forward with blinding speed to engage him. She was ready to face him, but he was ready for her. She knew how he fought, and he knew how she fought. She was fast enough to see his attacks, and he was fast enough to keep up with her. To the untrained eye, the two combatants were completely even, but anyone with a shred of combat experience knew that Blake had the upper hand. She was wearing Adam out with her superior speed and power.

Tearing up the cafeteria, Blake and Adam fought without rest and without fatigue. Blake and Adam would disappear and reappear all over the place. Tables were sliced to pieces. Explosions and decals of bullet marks littered the walls, the floor covered by a blanket of shattered glass. Adam was slowly starting to lose his ground, and advantage over Blake, and now even he could see this.

"You've improved a lot," Adam grunted as Blake kicked him backwards. "This power you've acquired, you should make the smart choice and re-join us. With your power, we can _really_ start to change this world," Adam baited. Blake scowled and slammed her sword into his, forming another sword lock. The older of the pair was starting to tire out, and was finding that Blake still had a lot of energy left. He was going to lose.

"I'm sick of hearing you talk Adam. I will _never_ join you. One day, I'll show the world that faunus are good people, and that they should fear people like _you,_ " Blake replied venomously. Adam scowled, but continued to hold his ground.

"Then you leave me no choice," He stated sadly. As the fight continued, Blake and Adam seemed to get some good hits on one another. However, it was becoming obvious that the cat faunus was going to come out the victor of this battle. Blake was determined to defeat Adam, while Adam was now attempting to put an end to Blake once and for all. The traitor _had_ to be punished, but that reality was becoming more clouded as time progressed.

Blake's bow had since fallen off from the amount of power she was channelling. She was starting to struggle after keeping her power up for so long, and it seemed obvious that Adam was starting to fatigue after losing his aura after Blake's last attack. She needed to finish this fight and put Adam down for good. She didn't want to kill him, but trying to incapacitate him was proving to be more difficult than it was worth.

A split second later, an incomprehensible force ripped through the cafeteria like a freight train. Both Adam and Blake were thrown from their positions and were sent ragdolling towards one of the walls. The frozen chill that followed the blast felt as if Vale had suddenly entered an ice age. Blake struggled to fight against it, but it proved to be too strong.

When the light faded, the cafeteria had been frozen over, leaving Blake and Adam shivering from the icy air and thick fog.

Adam slowly tried to get up while Blake was desperately forcing herself to get to her feet. Adam could only glare at Blake's prone form. He had no idea how she had attained this level of strength in such a short amount of time. Whatever she had been doing, it had obviously worked, putting her at a level above his own. He had only been able to match her out of sheer tenacity.

"You will pay for this treachery Blake. I will see to it that you suffer for this!" Adam promised as he got to his feet. His clothes were almost frozen and his body was chilled. He could no longer lift his sword to fight. As much as he hated to admit it, retreat was the only viable option now. If he continued the fight, he'd only end up dead.

"You touch anyone I care about, and I will hunt you until oblivion," Blake snarled, promising every word. Adam shot her one last look before limping his way out of the remains of the cafeteria, leaving Blake behind. She managed to climb to her feet, and quickly limped in the opposite direction. While she was hurt, and barely able to fight, she still needed to find Ruby.

" _Come on Ruby… please be okay. Please keep Penny safe,_ " Blake thought as she used the remnants of her energy to float into the air, and hover her way towards Ruby's energy signature that seemed to be dropping by the second. Blake felt relief when she could also sense Gohan, but an overwhelming power that just seemed to have gotten exponentially larger was also there, and dread once again filled her stomach.

Cell was more powerful than ever now, and whatever hope she had about surviving the day seemed to drop to almost non-existence.

* * *

When the light finally died down, Gohan almost collapsed from exhaustion. Ruby's explosion of anger didn't seem to have a direct target other than the area they occupied. The entire area was frozen over, an icy tundra for hundreds of meters. The half-Saiyan was utterly flabbergasted at the sudden change of scenery. For Ruby to have expelled that much power from her body, it would have done a number on her mentally.

Gohan let down the barrier and fell to his knees, dropping out of Super Saiyan in the process. He had expended a shocking amount of energy trying to keep the barrier up, but the energy he was pushing into the barrier felt as if it was being sucked out. Fortunately for him, the blonde who he had been protecting had woken up and caught him before he hit the ground. Looking up, she didn't exactly seem to be at peak physical condition yet.

She had a broken nose, and dried blood caked all over her mouth. She had a split lip, and a black eye. It was clear she had been beaten into unconsciousness by Cell. It seemed that whatever had woken her up had been enough to give her energy to catch Gohan. Her unconscious form had looked frail and weak, but now here she was, kneeling at Gohan's side as the two supported each other.

"You okay?" Yang asked. Gohan coughed a bit as he fought to recover the energy he had lost. While he wasn't physically injured at all, his energy had been practically sucked out of him. It took a few deep breaths for his senses to come back to him, and for his concentration to start focusing on regaining the energy he had suddenly lost.

"Feeling a little drained right now. Keeping that barrier up while Ruby channeled her attack took more out of me than I thought," Gohan admitted. As the two looked up to examine the extent of the damages, they saw that Ruby was sitting on the ground a couple of meters away from them, looking rather impassive and ghost-like. Her eyes had stopped glowing, and now retained a rather dead, uncaring look to them. It was as if her very soul had been spent in that attack.

Her vision was directed towards Cell. As they followed her gaze, they saw just what had happened to the monster. Cell hadn't even fallen over, nor was he at his knees. He was gently hovering above the ground, growling and spluttering at the injuries he had retained from her attack. One of his legs were missing, and the arm he had used to shield himself from the blast had been frozen over. The rest of him remained intact.

"GAK-URK," the hulking green android spluttered. Gohan wasn't sure how Cell had taken such a blast and retained most of his body. The amount of power that had been building within Ruby's body had been incredibly immense. It reminded him of his own inner potential that he had yet to figure out how to tap into. Piccolo had always lectured him on how he had this strange power inside of him, and that the only way he was able to tap into it was through emotional strain. He thought that he had unlocked it when Piccolo died, but he couldn't be more wrong. Even now, he could still feel it, locked somewhere deep within his being.

"H-how is he even still alive!?" Yang breathed, shocked at the damage Cell had taken. She wasn't sure how anyone could take losing a leg, and having an arm frozen in a block of ice could still remain standing. It seemed like this monster was going to fight until he was nothing but a pile of mush! Even the Grimm gave up after being dismembered. Cell didn't know when to quit!

"H-HOW…" Cell struggled out. He focused. He growled and after a few minutes of just struggling to stand, he did the impossible. He regenerated. Using the cells incorporated into him from the Namekian Piccolo, he had managed to regenerate half his being. How he managed to was beyond even him, but he was lucky.

"AHHH!" Cell roared as he pushed out a new leg, snapping off the frozen block encasing his arm. He growled as he flexed it back and forth, making sure there was no permanent damage. Slowly, he turned around to face the girl who had dared to damage him in such a way. His large form turned, his eyes landing on the crimsonette. She wasn't able to move from her sitting position. She watched emotionlessly as Cell glared murderously at her.

Yang felt like this was bad dream that she desperately wanted to wake up from. Gohan was desperately trying to recover his energy, but the more he stressed about it, the slower it was coming back to him. Cell had already recovered from the attack using the Namekian cells implanted in his body, and now the android was a step ahead of him.

"You…" Cell glared at Ruby. Her breath caught in her throat as crippling fear encased her, seizing control of every muscle in her body. The shadow of death loomed over her as Cell took one step towards her. That single step sent shakes through the ground, splitting and cracking under his glorious power and weight. Cell was no longer playing around. Someone who had the capacity to damage him like that would not be allowed to live!

"How dare you!" Cell looked even more murderous than before. Each step he took towards Ruby felt more thunderous and hate-filled than the last. Ruby couldn't move, paralyzed by her own terror and inability to react. She was completely drained of energy. Whatever had just happened to her seemingly drained her completely. Energy and emotion… she just sat there, waiting for death to come and claim her.

"Ruby! Get out of there!" Yang screamed desperately. She attempted to get up and run to her sister's aid, but her injuries had zapped her energy, pulling her back down to the ground. She fell on her front, skidding on the frozen, icy ground. She looked desperate, her lilac eyes flashing to red and back again. Anger and fear working together to try and save one of the most important things in her life.

Ruby just sat there, watching as the nightmarish monster got closer to her. The dried tears on her cheeks and her red puffy eyes just observed Cell as his hate-filled being got closer. Gohan had only just managed to stand to his feet. He cupped his hands in a desperate effort to save her. A blinding blue light appeared in his hands as he channeled all the energy he had managed to collect into a desperate attack.

"KA-ME-HA-ME… HA!" the half-Saiyan's voice roared with such ferocity it drew Cell's attention away from Ruby. The attack exploded forward towards Cell. The bio-android turned and raised his hands. He caught the attack with full force. The attack started to push him back, but Cell was having none of it. With a grunt, he threw his hands up, deflecting the blast sky high. The blue beam rocketed into the sky before detonating, blowing away all the clouds that were hovering over Vale.

Gohan's breathing was strained. All his energy spent, he once again, fell to his knees, powerless to stop whatever was going to happen next. Cell returned to walking towards Ruby now that Gohan was out of commission. Once Cell was right in front of the girl who was sitting down on her rear, gazing up at the monster like a helpless child, Cell brought down a hand and grasped the red headed girl around her neck, lifting her up.

"LET HER GO!" Yang screamed. Cell paid no attention to her. Ruby didn't even try to fight it. Her eyes were reflecting terror beyond imagination. Scenarios of how she was going to die played over inside her head, her life flashing before her very eyes. The fear that had claimed her heart had taken over, and tears of terror streamed down her cheeks. Cell could only growl in response.

"That power of yours, tell me!" Cell demanded angrily. "What was it!? You are weaker than a simple human now! How is it possible for a little girl like you to generate such power!?" the bio-android demanded. He could sense the red hooded girl's power, and it was pathetically low. He couldn't even sense where that power had gone either, and that angered him beyond anything else.

"ANSWER ME!" the android demanded. The girl couldn't even find the strength to respond. Through the fear of death, and the tears that refused to stop flowing, Ruby Rose was incapable of giving an answer. Cell waited a few moments as the crying persisted. Out of the corner of his eye Gohan was clawing his way back to his feet, an enraged look plastered his face. The android growled ferociously. If he couldn't get the answers he desired, then he would dispose of them so nobody would ever find out. Absorbing this girl would be pointless, her power was already expended.

"Fine then. Keep your secrets little girl…" Cell raised his other hand and placed it against her chest, a maniacal grin gracing his features. "YOU CAN TAKE THEM TO YOUR GRAVE!"

At that moment, Blake floated around the corner just in time to witness something she would never forget for the rest of her life. Her eyes widened as she saw the situation. She saw Cell holding Ruby by the neck while Gohan and Yang desperately tried to help, both had seemingly run out of power to make any sort of difference. Blake knew in that instant, she was the only one that had a chance to stop whatever was happening.

But she couldn't.

She wasn't fast enough.

A light emitted from Cell's palm. Time slowed down as Yang's pleading screams fell on deaf ears.

He fired.

The blast tore right through the small girl's body, reducing her heart to dust, and exiting out the other side. The light reflected in all their eyes, implanting the horrific event in their memories for as long as they would live. Ruby didn't even scream. There was no time for her to even register the pain. Her life faded in mere seconds. Her torso smoking, her arms dropped, hanging limply at her side. Blake dropped to the ground, covering her mouth in disbelief.

Cell dropped her, her lifeless corpse, hitting the ground with a hollow thud. Ruby's lifeless face landed on an angle that faced Yang. Blood seeped out of her mouth and her barren silver eyes bore right into her. Anguish overloaded the blonde sister as she fell to her hands and knees. Her lilac eyes shifted and remained in their crimson state.

A blood-curdling scream ripped through the deafening silence.

Yang wails echoed throughout the now ghostly Beacon Academy. Cell merely took a few steps back, turning his back to the corpse and making his way towards Gohan. The boy was livid, shaking with renewed energy and anger. He had been powerless to stop yet another death.

Blake watched as Yang clawed her way to her now deceased sister's side with renewed energy. She pushed herself to her knees and cradled Ruby's body in her slowly blood-soaking hands. Tears streamed from her now crimson eyes. She rocked back and forth with Ruby's body in her arms. The hole in her body was like a hole that had formed in Yang's heart.

"That's one future problem taken care of… now for the rest of-urk!" Cell hunched over, blood seeping out of his mouth. No one had hit him, it was something in his body. What the hell was happening to him? He was so close to perfection! This shouldn't be happening to him! It was one problem after another! First Gohan, then the girl with the red hood, and now… whatever the hell _this_ was!

"This isn't happening… this _can't be_ happening," Blake denied, a dead look reflecting in her eyes. She had watched her fifteen-year-old friend die. Her team leader was just ruthlessly murdered right in front of her by a monster that seemed so far to be completely unstoppable. Gohan on the other hand couldn't bring himself to believe that a girl so young and so full of life had been killed in such a way.

"Cell!" Gohan growled. He couldn't push himself up. He had spent most of his energy. Yang however, was starting to glow, and everyone noticed it. Whatever was happening to Cell was put on hold as all their attention was brought to the blonde-haired brawler. As she cradled the corpse of her younger sister, her hair started to flame violently, shifting and changing. Yang dipped her forehead, hers touching Ruby's. The frozen area started to violently steam as searing heat poured out of Yang's body.

Red.

 **Hot.**

 _Unbridled._

 _ **Rage.**_

Yang stood up, her hair glowing, but this time something was different. Her hair wasn't just shining like it usually did with her semblance. No, this time it was _flaming_. It had become a scorching flame, flowing down her back as if she had transcended to become a celestial goddess. Her golden aura had changed to a crimson red, and her eyes had changed yet again. Instead of just a change of color in the iris, both her eyes were now glowing a bright vermillion. Fire seemed to stream out of the corners of her eyes, as if she were crying tears of flame.

It was almost impossible to believe it, but Yang had _transformed_ into something no one had ever seen before. Even Gohan was amazed at this new development. He couldn't figure out what this form meant. Yang's power hadn't increased at all. In fact, nothing about her energy had changed at all, but when he looked closely, he noticed that the wounds that Yang had sustained before were receding incredibly quickly.

" _Incredible…_ " Gohan and Blake thought in unison.

"Oh? You want more? I'm more than willing to dish out if you think you can handle it," Cell gave Yang an arrogant smirk.

Everyone watched as Yang's fists tightened, still staring at Ruby's lifeless body. Slowly, she turned to face Cell. Faster than the normal eye could see, she raised her hands and slammed her fists together, creating a shockwave that almost blew away everyone in the area. Cell was rather surprised while Gohan and Blake shielded their eyes.

Like a _phoenix_ , she had been reborn, and this time, she was out for blood.

" **You are going to regret you had ever laid a hand on her, you God-damn bug! I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER!** "

* * *

Beacon Academy was in ruins. The White Fang had retreated at Adam's command and the Huntsmen and Huntresses in-training worked together with staff members, mercenaries and other older Huntsman to push back the Grimm threat in the city. The amount of damage the Kingdom had sustained during the onslaught was _almost_ irreparable. At this point, it probably would be better to strip it all down and rebuild again.

Roman Torchwick had escaped with his partner-in-crime Neopolitan, after infiltrating the Atlas airships and taking them for a joyride. Emerald and Mercury were nowhere to be found, having fled the Kingdom after completing what Cinder had ordered them to do. However, there was still one left who had failed to make her clean escape. She had fallen right into Ozpin's trap.

Cinder Fall crawled out of the remained ruins of Beacon Academy, bloodied and beaten. Her hair was a mess and her dress was in tatters. Ozpin had escaped during their battle after she had brought out the powers of the Fall Maiden, but it had proven to be a waste of time seeing as Ozpin was much stronger than her. Why he would run away just when she was about to lose made absolutely no sense to her.

What she failed to realise was that he wasn't trying to stop her, or kill her. No, all he had been doing was buying time. He had played her right from the very start, and took pleasure in watching her calm facade break apart and fall to pieces around her. Cinder had to claw her way through the debris, practically on her hands and knees to get out of the ruins. Her aura was shot, and her stamina was running low. Escaping Vale now would be difficult.

She left her fair share of injuries and damages on the man, but she had failed in her overall goal. No maiden had been killed and she still only possessed half its powers. That much was enough to warrant serious punishment from Salem. Serving that blood thirsty tyrant was exhausting. Constantly having to play the submissive role was humiliating, not to mention damaging to her own pride. Returning empty handed, having only achieved half of what she had come here for, was not going to save her from Salem's wrath.

Cinder knew she would be ridiculed by her peers and her associates in crime that also served alongside Salem. They never liked her and they thought she was an amateur. She was just proving their assumptions by going back to see Salem now. She had come here to retrieve the rest of the Fall Maiden's powers and had failed miserably.

While she failed in that objective, she _had_ succeeded in destroying Beacon Academy and bringing Vale to its knees.

Grimm roamed the streets, and people were scattered and scared. She had accomplished half of what Salem had ordered her to do, but half wasn't good enough. Half wasn't going to protect her from enduring the torture Salem would put her through for failing her. Cinder's empty hand slammed into the ground, slightly denting the pavement as waves of frustration and embarrassment coursed through her.

"Well… would you look at that?" A voice drawled in amusement as Cinder pushed herself to her knees. She looked over and cursed. Her slim chances of escape had just dropped to non-existance. She had no aura to defend herself, and her Maiden powers had been thoroughly exhausted for now. She watched grimly as Qrow Branwen stalked towards her, with his sword in hand. He wore an arrogant smirk as he examined her defeated form.

"The manipulative bitch herself," Qrow quipped, putting the tip of his sword at her throat. "Plans' not working out so well is it?" He taunted as he looked down at her, eyes filled to the brim with disdain and satisfaction. Cinder knew she had no other option. As much as it pained her, she had to surrender. No power and no aura to fight back with.

She raised her hands to surrender.

Qrow scowled before socking her right in the face. She fell from her knees back to the ground, blood trailing from her mouth. Her vision blurred as a splitting headache started to form. She clutched her head and her mouth in pain. She tried to muster the strength to glare hatefully in the drunkard's direction, but the pain blocked her from doing so. Qrow sighed in satisfaction, flexing his fingers as he did so.

"I'm not one for hitting girls, but damn did that feel good," Qrow chuckled. He walked over and grabbed a fist full of her hair. Cinder grit her teeth in pain as Qrow dragged her and threw her against a wall. She croaked in pain as she dropped from the wall, falling to the ground. Strolling up to her prone form, he once again placed his sword at her throat. All she could do was lie there at his mercy.

"Are you done yet?" Cinder hissed. Qrow shook his head.

"Not by a long-shot, so start talking. Unless you want my sword to acquaint itself with your neck in the next few minutes..." Qrow trailed off. Cinder was still having trouble breathing. This was not how she envisioned her day going. Not by any stretch of the margin. A frustrated growl pushed its way out of her mouth. Salem would kill her if she said anything. Half-Fall Maiden or not, she would be a dead woman if Salem found out she had talked.

"Go to hell," Cinder spat. A smirk graced the older huntsman's face.

"Somehow, I _just hoped_ you would say that," Qrow drawled as he placed his sword on his back. Cinder raised a curious eyebrow. However, before she got the chance to say anything. Qrow reared his fist back and slammed it right into the middle of her face, breaking her nose and sending her into unconsciousness. The sickening crack gave the huntsman satisfaction, as the red queen's body fell limp.

"There you go… that's a much better look for you," he mocked. Laughing quietly to himself, he picked her up and looked around to see if there were any onlookers. He wouldn't risk Ironwood picking her up and locking her up in some high-tech Atlas prison. He needed to have a private chat with her. She had the information he _needed_. Ironwood wouldn't know how to get answers out of people like her, but Qrow could, granted they were much more… _cruel_.

Hoisting her up over his shoulder, he turned and took off into the air, a brilliant white aura covering his body. He shot into the air at Mach speed, heading to a remote, evacuated part of Vale. He would take his time with her, making sure she stayed well behaved.

By that, he meant chained to the nearest post like a dog with some aura and semblance restricting binds on her. Even with Fall Maiden powers, she wouldn't have a shred of hope to escape. He smirked to himself. He was going to have a real nice time with Cinder. One could even call it a date if they were into that sort of stuff.

One thing was for sure. Her time serving Salem was over.

It had been the moment she lost.

* * *

It had been a bitter pill to swallow, and even more so to accept that it had happened. Ruby Rose had been murdered by Cell without hesitation, or remorse. Even now as her motionless body lay on the ground, the undeniable truth was becoming more easy to push aside, and pretend that it was nothing but a bad dream.

Yet another person Gohan was unable to protect from the cruel fate that had befallen them. Ruby hadn't needed to perish like that, and the motion of her death brought about a storm of unimaginable guilt to rain down upon the half-Saiyan's shoulders. She didn't even _know_ how powerful Cell was, or had become. She was helplessly in over her head, and it should have been his job to stop her from dying. Now he had to add another name to the list of people who he had failed to rescue.

The son of Goku's jaw tightened as he felt his energy slowly start to recharge as he grudgingly watched Yang and Cell face off against each other. He had forgone his power saving the people in the ship's earlier, and then spent the rest of it defending against whatever turned this place into- what seemed to be- a frozen wasteland. All he was capable of doing was observe the fight that was about to commence between Cell and Yang. His fists had turned white from the pressure of his clenched hands.

Despite this new transformation, he was almost certain that Cell would still outmatch her. There wasn't a even a possible chance that Yang had somehow gained the strength to ascend beyond his own strength. She was months away from catching up to his level. All he could possibly hope for was for Cell to underestimate her. Playing his cards like this was horribly inefficient when it came to battle strategy.

Yang's power hadn't increased at all. It was the same as it was before, so what was it that seemed to give him the impression that this form she had taken on was different? He watched as Yang stalked forward, angrily cracking her knuckles as she did so. Her eyes were zeroed in on Cell, an obvious sign that she was suffering from tunnel vision. Acting on emotion was a quick and easy way to get yourself killed, but he couldn't help her right now.

It was critical that he recover his lost energy as fast as he could.

Gohan couldn't help but feel like he had seen this before. This scenario seemed familiar in more ways than one. The way Yang walked towards Cell without fear, or care for her own life was something the half-Saiyan had only seen in one other person before. It was one of the people he had looked up to his entire life. She was walking with absolute resolve and conviction. Her form held purpose.

It reminded him when his father had first transformed on Namek, after Krillin was killed.

Yang's new transformation was something to marvel at. With her hair blazing like an inferno, and her aura thrashing around her like a raging wild animal. Her glowing blood red eyes promised pain towards her prey. Cell could only stand and glare at her, annoyance in his eyes. He couldn't sense any power increase in her. If that was the case, he had nothing to fear.

" **You took her away from me…** " Yang's voice crackled with rage. " **My baby sister is gone because of you!** " her voice bellowed. She abruptly exploded towards Cell, leaving behind a trail of flame and red mist. There was a notable increase in her speed and acceleration. Cell merely laughed as he caught her attack head on, and grunted as they faced off in a mercy lock. The bio-android seemed to want to play this out, having witnessed this strange transformation. He wanted to see what she was capable of doing now. His Saiyan cell's demanded he explore this new discovery!

"What are you going to do about it?" Cell growled in amusement, as he began to push Yang back. Her features didn't reflect a shred of concern about her current predicament. She brought up her knee and slammed it into his jaw. Cell grunted slightly, having been surprised by the sudden attack. He retaliated by breaking every single finger on Yang's hands. Her eyes flashed as each bone snapped under the overwhelming force. He grinned as a trail of purple blood leaked out of his mouth from her earlier hit.

"Show me more of this _transformation_ of yours," he mocked as the golden inferno struggled to fight back. After a few moments of her struggling, Cell felt something strange in his grip. The red-eyed brawler grunted as her fingers started to twitch. The bio-android watched in fascination as her power started to grow.

"You think that hurts me?" she growled, looking up to meet his eyes. Cell lost his grin almost immediately. As he was still holding onto her hands, he could feel the bones he had snapped in her fingers knit back together, and become even stronger than before. He didn't even have time to question it before Yang broke off the engagement and quickly embedded her fist in his stomach. The power she had suddenly acquired catching him by surprise.

"URK!" Cell spluttered. How? He had broken all her fingers in the lock! How had they healed so quickly!? Was it this new transformation? Was it some kind of high speed healing? The android's mind was whirling with questions as he recovered from her hit. How was it that she had grown in power when damaged? That didn't make any sense! People got weaker when they got hurt, not the other way around!

Putting the pieces together on the sidelines, Gohan and Blake watched as Yang pushed back with unrelenting force. It was obvious that Cell wasn't fighting with his full strength, but it was outlandish to see Yang fighting back and actually holding her own against such a large power! Was it that her new transformation allowed her to heal the damage that she took, as well as convert it to sheer power?

" _Incredible! This transformation has brought Yang's semblance to a whole new level! She can heal fatal injuries and turn that damage into raw power!_ " Gohan thought in amazement. The more damage Cell did to her, the more she would convert those injuries into power. Not only that but her aura had shot through the roof. She was healing incredibly quickly to account for the damage she was taking.

But there had to be a limit to what she could take.

"How intriguing… what else have you got?" Cell chuckled as he stumbled back. Yang disappeared, appearing behind him in an instant. Cell turned around and knocked her attack off course. He jumped, spun, and slammed his leg into her left arm. He could feel the bones snap and crack. She grunted as she tumbled to the side. It wasn't long before she was pushing herself up off the ground with her other arm. Cell watched with curiosity as her body refused to give up.

"I'm going to rip you to pieces," she snarled, her body filled to the brim with loathing. Her power once again shot through the roof. Her arm hung loosely, but this time she zipped forward at blinding speed. Cell wasn't prepared or fast enough to counter this. She swung her good arm and socked him in the face.

He was sent flying, but her onslaught wasn't done yet.

Speeding behind him, she planted her foot in his lower back, stopping the monster in mid-air. This time Cell could feel his bones crack, but going for a counter, he adjusted his body, and swung his tail. It wrapped around Yang's neck, and flung her into a nearby wall. She hit wall at speed, cracking under the force. She groaned as she fell to her knees.

"Yang!" Blake cried, trying to stand to help her partner, but was stopped by Gohan. She turned and gave the teenage Saiyan a desperate plea as to why he would hold her back. However, his eyes told her that he did so for good reason.

"Blake! Yang's lost herself in her anger. If you got close to her, there's no way to tell if she would attack you. She's incredibly unstable," Gohan explained. Blake looked at him as if he were crazy. What kind of absurd explanation was that!?

"So we're just going to let her fight Cell _alone_!? Gohan he **KILLED** Ruby! He's going to **KILL** Yang! We can't just stand around and-"

"Just calm down and look!" Gohan cut her off, pointing towards Yang's prone form. Blake followed his gesture to see that Yang's aura was still flaming. The inferno that coated her body in searing heat was still blazing, showing no signs of slowing down. "She's not down yet. I need to gather my strength if we have a hope of living, and right now, this transformation of her's is allowing her to fight on even ground with Cell… even if he is treating it like a game," Gohan growled out the last part.

The electricity around her body grew two-fold in intensity as she looked up. With a flick of her arm, the one that had the broken bones knitted, healed and snapped back into place. She flexed the arm, clenching her hand as she returned to glaring at the bio-android . Meanwhile, Cell calmly floated back down to the ground. He gave his back a small stretch, mocking Yang in the progress.

"That is some impressive power you have. I have to say, I wasn't expecting a transformation quite like this. It's quite different and very unique. The ability to take damage and throw it right back at the offender, not to mention the ability to heal the hits taken," Cell chuckled lightly as he gazed back at Yang's flaming form. "Given time, you might actually be a threat to me," he continued with a derisive smirk. Yang's aura flared wildly, mirroring her anger and sorrow.

"I'm going to kill you," she swore. On the sidelines, Gohan frowned depressively at the sheer agony in her tone. The more she fought, the more it tore her apart. Killing Cell wouldn't bring Ruby back, and somehow, he knew that Yang understood that. The guilt pouring down on him increased tenfold. "I _swear_ it. I _will KILL **YOU**_."

Cell merely laughed in the face of her threats.

"You can't keep this transformation up forever," the bio-android commented knowingly. "There has to be a limit to what you can take," Yang ignored him, all she could see was red. She dashed towards him again, but this time Cell knew what to do. He needed to find the weakness to this form. And so far, he was gathering the information he needed.

"Stop talking!" she hissed violently. Gohan could see that her fighting was becoming even more erratic than before. She was starting to throw her weight around, resorting to old habits. She was getting desperate, and the fact that she had yet to do any visible damage to the monster that had murdered her sister pushed her to new heights of anger.

"Yang, be careful!" Gohan called out desperately. Yang didn't even register that she had heard him. Her tunnel vision had been amplified, and it seemed that the only thing it was focused on was Cell. He just needed a little more time to regain his strength. As he waited, gathering his strength and pooling it together, he held onto the hope that Yang could hold out a couple more minutes. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side today.

"It seems that I'm going to have to deal with you in one shot," Cell stated as he kicked Yang back and retreated a fair distance away. He brought his hands back, as a pink ball of energy sparked to life in his hands. Gohan's eyes widened in avid horror. Out on the sidelines, Blake could sense the unfathomable energy exceed what she thought was possible. The entire area was coated in a seductive violet light.

That monster was going to fire _that_ at Yang.

"Yang!" Blake screamed. "Move! That will kill you! You can't take that head on!" Blake warned in terror. Yang stood tall, glaring at the monster. She wasn't about to die here, no way. She had to kill this thing with her own two hands. Her sister would _not_ die in vain!

"Now… let's see just how effective your healing is! **Gyarikku-Hou!** " Cell yelled. The Galick Gun exploded from Cell's palms and thundered towards Yang. The power was overwhelming that the ground beneath the energy wave split and disintegrated. Yang realized the moment it left the palms of the monster, that it would kill her on contact. She did the smart thing and attempted to dodge.

With her increased speed, she managed to escape the hands of death by the skin of her teeth. The attack thundered past her and rocketed towards a lonely mountain in the distance. The attack ripped through the mountain like butter and blew it completely top side. Chunks of the mountain flew sky high, before eventually falling back down to the earth below, crushing trees and forestry alike.

When the attack continued, and swerved into the sky and out of sight, the people of Vale were left speechless. From the smoke and ashes of the Mountain, a primal black beast arose from a long, dark slumber. Its roar shook the very ground itself, and forced a blanket of stunned silence upon the remains of Vale. Its black wings flapped, blowing away all the dust and smoke.

The Grimm Dragon had awoken from it's slumber.

And it was looking for blood.

"Great, more problems," Gohan cursed. Cell was enough, he didn't need a rampaging Grimm dragon causing more chaos than there already was. Yang had turned and almost lost her tunnel vision on Cell. The Grimm had distracted her if for a brief moment. It's sheer size and ferocity had been enough to draw her attention away from Cell.

"This day _cannot_ get _any_ worse," Blake moaned from her knees. She was dangerously low on energy. Combating Cell, Adam and getting Pyrrha back to the Lookout had taken a lot out of her. Blake wanted nothing more than to wake up from this endless nightmare, but unfortunately, she found the chances of that happening on the small side of impossibility.

"Well… can't say I was expecting _that_ to happen," Cell commented casually. Yang turned back to him, anger once again flooding her senses. The red electricity increased tenfold around her body. She had lost all sense of reason, and once again, she was seeing white hot rage. She charged Cell without a care for her safety and took him head on.

Gohan had noticed that Blake had since made her way over towards the deceased leader of team RWBY. Slowly, he made his way over towards the jet-black haired faunus to comfort her. Ruby's entire being had gone ice cold, and the girl's blood stained the ground beneath her. Blake trembled as she slowly closed Ruby's lifeless eyes, something she never thought she would _ever_ have to do. Gohan merely watched, a numb feeling washing over him. This death just felt like all the others he had witnessed. It pained him to no end, but as a warrior, he had to fight through it no matter what.

"S-S-She didn't need to die… did she…?" Blake cried, choking on her words. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Out of all of them, the most innocent one had been the one to meet her end. Blake still couldn't believe this was happening. Ruby's skin was icy to the touch, and her skin was turning grey. Her black hair with crimson tips fluttered in the breeze. She looked almost… at peace.

"Nobody deserved what she got Blake… we failed her. All we can do is fight on, and move on. We-" Gohan cut himself off as he saw Ruby's body slowly start to become translucent. He thought he was seeing something at first, but then it became clear and apparent as Blake's hand fazed through the corpse. Blake started to panic.

"W-What's happening!?" Blake tried to grab at the body only to find that her hands were passing through the now fading away form of Ruby Rose. Gohan could only gape as the body completely faded from existence in just a few moments. He had seen this before! When the Z Fighter's died fighting against the Androids on Earth, their bodies vanished like this.

It meant they kept their bodies in the afterlife.

It was a special permission to those who deserved it. In other words, was it possible that Ruby was now in Otherworld, and with her body? Master Roshi had told him that when his father had died after the fight with Raditz, Kami had intervened and allowed Goku to keep his body. It was because he was going off to receive special training from King Kai.

"She's in Otherworld now! She kept her body… I didn't think…" Gohan trailed off. Who would intervene? There was no Guardian of Remnant as far as he was concerned. Did King Yemma allow her to keep her body? But for what purpose? People don't just get to keep their bodies because they were nice or good people. What was going on?

Blake looked at him in confusion. Her shocked, red puffy eyes demanded answers. While the battle raged on with Cell in the background, Gohan suddenly sensed that Yang's energy was starting to drop, and her aura was dropping even faster. She had hit her limit, and it seemed that Cell was finishing up with her. He had exhausted his entertainment, and fortunately for them, Gohan's strength had mostly returned.

An audible smack had Yang landing right next to him. The aura faded and she reverted back to normal. She groaned as her vision faded. Blake rushed to her side while Gohan stood tall once again. He quickly transformed back into a Super Saiyan and stood in front of the two protectively. Another push of his power and his form started to glimmer once again.

"She's quite durable. Very powerful, and I won't lie, a decent threat given time… but sadly she has already hit her limit," Cell commented as he gazed upon the broken form of the blonde brawler. She had managed to hold him off and give him some quality entertainment. He would admit she gave him some trouble here and there, but it was nothing that he couldn't handle. Dr. Gero had designed him to be the perfect warrior. He was destined to fight the likes of Goku and Gohan! Not some blonde teenage girl who had just learned how to use her energy!

Gohan stared him down. Cell turned his attention to the boy in front of him and laughed.

"Oh, come now," the android chided in delight. "She couldn't do that much damage to me! I know you're more powerful than her by a long shot, but I've _evolved_ Gohan. You were only a fraction stronger, before I achieved this form. I am so much more-URK!" Gohan slammed his fist into Cell's face. He landed on the ground as Cell was sent flying backwards.

The monster managed to catch himself in the air.

"Stop running your mouth!" Gohan snapped. Cell merely smirked as he wiped away the blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

"Well if you wanted to die so badly, then SO BE IT!" Cell dashed forward. Gohan quickly turned to Blake. The girl was almost paralyzed with fear. The amount of _power_ she could feel radiating from both Gohan had Cell was unlike anything she could have ever imagined! Cell had been _playing_ with Yang. There was no contest here. Gohan and Cell were grades above the rest of them!

"Get Yang out of here!" Gohan yelled as he blocked an attack from Cell. The hulking monster wasn't playing around anymore, and the real fight had only just begun. Blake swallowed hard as the landscape around them started to disintegrate from the sheer power that was being thrown at each other. She didn't need to be told twice.

She picked up Yang and flew off, not daring to look back.

* * *

Cinder gasped for air, spluttering and coughing as icy cold water was dropped onto her form.

"If you want to live, start talking," Qrow growled. She immediately looked around and examined her situation. They were in an evacuated part of Vale. She was tied to a lamp post with aura restricting binds around her hands to stop her from breaking free. Where Qrow Branwen had managed to get Atlas grade tech from was beyond her, but now she was completely at his mercy.

Not only that, but it was starting to get dark, and in the distance, she could see an overly large Grimm Dragon being attacked by many huntsman and huntresses-in-training, but looking past that, she could see a giant light show coming from behind Beacon tower, coupled with explosive sonic booms. The ground would shake and tremble from the sheer force. She could only make an estimated guess as to who were causing the earthquakes.

Cinder glared up at her capture. The one thing she hated the most was being at the mercy of another human being. It was _humiliating_ , but at least it wouldn't be as humiliating as returning to Salem to be punished, and made an example of to her associates. What a failure this venture had turned out to be. If she could kick herself for being so utterly foolish, she would have done so several times over.

Salem had assured her that this plan would work. Why did it not surprise her that Salem had deliberately been as vague as possible as to what she had meant by ' _work_ '? As long as Beacon fell, and Vale was left in ruins, the important part of the plan had worked. The Grimm queen could catch another Fall Maiden if she needed. Beacon needed to fall more than anything else, and from what Cinder was seeing right now, that was indeed _happening_.

Grimm littered the skies as the Dragon constantly dropped puddles of darkness that Grimm seemed to crawl out of. It was nothing new to her. Salem's domain was practically the breeding ground for the Grimm. They climbed out of the darkness like monsters from a bad nightmare. The Dragon seemed to be the embodiment of that nightmare. She turned her attention back to Qrow, who seemed unphased by the chaos happening on the other side of Vale.

The harsh reality dawned upon Cinder that perhaps Salem had written her off the moment she had failed her task at the CCT. It had been an important crux of the plan. Salem despised failure. Thinking back on it now, she had been relatively tame about it.

"What do you want to know?" Cinder hissed at the older man. Qrow cracked a small smile.

"Let's get the obvious out of the way. You were here for the Maiden. Salem wanted you to become the new Fall Maiden, but why bring down Beacon? You could have been subtle about it if you wanted the Maidens powers," Qrow elaborated. Cinder merely glared at him.

"She want's Beacon to fall. The result would spread fear throughout Remnant and pollute the other Kingdom's with doubt and paranoia. She also wants the relics… _whatever they are,_ " Cinder scowled looking away in shame and disgust. Qrow raised an eyebrow. Surely Salem would have informed Cinder of the power behind the relics.

"Salem didn't even tell you what the relics are? My God, I picked you for a smarter girl than this," Qrow laughed mockingly. Cinder raged, pulling at her binds. When they pulled her back to her defenseless position, she attempted to spit in Qrow's direction. She failed miserably as the man merely tilted his head to the side. He seemed amused by her pitiful attempts to insult him.

She hated this feeling. She would rather die than feel this kind of humiliation, but then again, that was her pride talking.

"She wouldn't tell me! She gave me directions, and a set of orders. If I didn't follow them to the letter. I would die," She muttered bitterly. The drunkard gave her a smirk, seeing her true insecure personality start to surface. It seemed that all these big time villains had some kind of breaking point, and with a little bit of observation, it became easy for him to break them down.

"So, you're a pawn. How ironic," Qrow drawled. Cinder snapped her gaze to him, her eyes burning with hatred.

"Like you would know! You're just another mindless follower of that old fool! How _dare_ you _judge_ me!" Cinder screamed. Her hatred and venom poured into every word she uttered towards the older drunkard hunter. Qrow crouched down so that he was level with her, they both glared at each other.

"Where's Ozpin? What did you do to him?" the drunkard questioned. Cinder tried to look away but a slap from Qrow forced her look back into his eyes. She attempted to spit at him again, but he covered her mouth before she did so. Her burning eyes screaming obscenities at him. What she wouldn't give to remove his head from his shoulders!

"How should I know?" Cinder grounded out as Qrow pulled his hand away from her mouth. Her raven-like hair hung over her eyes like curtains. She was a defeated, emotional mess. Even if she wanted or could, she was in no condition to be fighting someone of Qrow's calibre. She had faced off against Ozpin, and that had been hard enough. "He ran away before I got the chance to kill him," Cinder spat.

"You should really fix that attitude of yours," Qrow snarled. Her molten golden eyes still locked with his. "You're lucky I'm as forgiving as I am. If I were anyone else, you'd be dead right now." Qrow finished as he turned to walk away. Cinder watched him as he walked a good twenty meters away from her, he didn't show any sign of turning back. Momentarily, an unfamiliar feeling rushed into her body.

She started to panic.

"Y-You can't just leave me here!?" Cinder yelled after him. She was still tied to the lamp post, the aura restricting binds tied keeping her bound to the post. She pulled and tugged at them to no avail. They showed no signs of budging. "I have the Fall Maiden's powers! You need me!" Cinder screamed, desperation leaking into her voice like a poison.

Qrow stopped walking. He turned.

"Not for long," He responded tiredly, gesturing to the Grimm that had appeared around the area. Cinder noticed they were not taking any notice of Qrow, and their beady hungry eyes were on her. "They'll make sure of it," Qrow finished. Cinder's eyes widened in horrific desolation. She pulled at the binds that restricted her aura and powers with surprising vigor, but no matter how hard she tried...

She couldn't escape.

Multiple Ursa and Boarbatusk stalked towards her out of the shadows. Salem's precious subjects eyeing her hungrily. Cinder had given up too much, and thus she had become expendable in her mistress's eyes. She glanced towards Qrow, who was slowly walking away. He had no care for her. Why should he? She had done nothing but cause pain and misery since the moment she had arrived in Vale.

Was… was she going to die here?

"Help me!" Cinder screamed. Qrow kept walking. "For God's sake, I can help you! Please! I can't go back! **_She'd kill me!_** " Cinder pleaded. He showed no signs of stopping. He was slowly dropping out of sight. The Grimm started to close in on her helpless, bound form. Her eyes started to water. Was Salem really sending these beasts to kill her?

Was this how her story ended?

Cinder Fall, ripped to shreds by the creatures of Grimm.

Her desperate attempts at escape showed no progression and slowly her fate dawned upon her. She glanced to see their hungry eyes scan her delicious body. After all she had been through; the tasks she had carried out, and the people she had butchered to her mistress's delight… was this really how it all came to an end?

Crushing regret crashed down on top of her.

Tears streamed from her eyes as she resigned to her fate. Her body went limp as she was literally surrounded by Grimm. They were seconds away from ripping her to pieces and devouring her. In that moment, she uttered one sentence that she never thought would ever leave her thoughts, let alone her mouth. She would have laughed if she could, but it seemed life was nothing but an empty well of disappointment.

" _ **Please, forgive me.**_ " It was simple, short and one of the most honest things she had ever said.

She shut her eyes and resigned to her fate.

She just hoped her end would be quick.

* * *

Arriving on the Lookout with Yang hanging loosely from her arms, Blake rushed towards two familiar figures who were sat on the steps of the temple-like building. Weiss was busy talking to Pyrrha, who was currently holding an ice-pack to her forehead. It seemed Pyrrha had a splitting headache from having her head bashed against Blake's. The moment Weiss turned her head to see the two new arrivals, she immediately jumped to her feet and rushed over.

"Blake!" she called out as she ran towards the two. When she got close enough to see the sorry state Yang was currently in, her eyes widened in horror. "W-what the hell happened!?" Weiss practically screamed when the full extent of the blonde's injuries became apparent. Yang's state was less than savoury, but at least she was still alive. Weiss couldn't shake the feeling of uselessness as she sat up on the Lookout, watching helplessly as her friends arrived with critical injuries.

"I don't know!" Blake snapped suddenly. Weiss was taken aback from the sudden outburst, as the jet-black haired faunus placed her partner on the ground. Pyrrha had since gotten to her feet and walked over to converse with Blake and Weiss. While she was not a hundred percent, she was at least awake and functional. She could push through a headache if she absolutely had to. "Everything just happened so _damn_ fast! Cell got to Penny and absorbed her! He _changed_ , and now he's this unstoppable killing machine!" the girl continued frantically.

"Wasn't he already an unstoppable killing machine?" Pyrrha asked softly. Blake groaned as she ran a shaky hand through her thick black hair. Cell went from a monster to a literal manifestation of Hell itself. The sheer magnitude of power that she felt radiating from him after he had finished with Yang was beyond her understanding. How could _anyone_ stand up to such power?

"I'm not sure how it's even possible, but he's _even_ more powerful than he was before. No matter what Yang threw at him, he just kept getting up. She couldn't even scratch him!" Blake growled in frustration. Her head fell into her hands in an attempt to calm herself down. While it manage to do so for the most part, she could feel the shakes and tremors even now. The clash between Gohan and Cell might as well be a clash between Gods.

"Cell absorbed Penny? What does that even mean?!" Weiss demanded. She had absolutely no idea what was going on, and Ozpin had only given her a brief explanation about what Cell was, and what he was after. The headmaster had only told her that Cell was out for power, going around Remnant collecting it. He never said anything about this terrorist being capable of absorbing things, let alone people!

"Wait a minute. Ruby was _with_ Penny! What happened to her!? Is she alright?" Pyrrha questioned frantically. Weiss's mouth opened in shock at this new piece of information. Her icy blue eyes darted to Blake who was now utterly silent, her eyes void of any emotion. The cat faunus refused to meet their eyes. Weiss stepped forward, a little more aggressively than she would have liked.

"Ruby was with Penny? What happened?! Where is she!?" Weiss demanded. She had to know what happened to her partner. If something had happened to her… she didn't know what she would do, but Weiss wasn't prepared for what was coming next, and neither was Pyrrha.

Blake looked up at them, her eyes starting to water, and her expression gave the truth away before she even had to say it. She didn't even have the heart or courage to tell them verbally. The agonizing pain that one of their friends had died to this monster was almost too much. Blake was no stranger to death, so the pain was rather dulled, but that didn't make accepting it any easier. She had grown close to Ruby since she had started attending Beacon.

Pyrrha's relationship with Ruby was probably the weakest of them here. However, Weiss was Ruby's partner. She had spent days bonding and trying to understand Ruby, just as Ruby had done with her. Ruby and Weiss's relationship had probably been the strongest out of the team. The two, while having spats when the team was first formed, quickly put aside their differences and became fast friends. As much as Weiss would deny it, Ruby _actually_ was her _best_ friend.

"She… _**didn't make it.**_ "

A chilling breeze swept through the Lookout as the words exited Blake's mouth. Weiss took a few steps back, her face in denial. Blake saw the Ice Queen's hands drift up to her mouth as if she were about to puke. Pyrrha remained still, frozen and petrified with shock.

" **Oh God,** " Weiss vehemently fought the urge to throw up. Pyrrha's emerald green eyes started to water as her arms hung loosely at her side. Of all the people to have lost their life, it happened to be the youngest and bravest of all of them. Silence coated the Lookout as the three girls stood around Yang's unconscious form in mourning. Both Blake and Pyrrha stared at the ground, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. They were supposed to be the ones to stop things like this from happening.

Ruby was gone, and there was nothing they could do to change that.

That lovely, friendly and adorable girl was gone. The girl that just wanted to make friends and protect the people she cared about. The girl that wanted to hang out with her friends, fight Grimm with them and generally make the world a better place. That girl had been murdered by a monster who desired power and was obsessed with perfection. Was it even _fair_ that she had been the one to die and not one of them?

"Please!" Weiss's voice was hoarse and choked up, as she grabbed Blake's shoulders, forcing the girl to look up and meet the heiress's hysteric eyes. The Ice Queen's hands started to heat up dangerously, her newly acquired powers starting to react to her unstable emotions. Blake's jaw tightened as she pushed through the increasing heat from Weiss's grip.

"Please tell me that Ruby isn't dead! _**PLEASE!**_ " Weiss's screams were excruciatingly pained. Blake could only look away, her own tears staining her face. The truth was too painful to bear. It felt like her world had turned upside down and inside out. It was only two days ago, they were discussing plans for the tournament and eating cookies, talking about studying together and many other student related activities. The red caped girl had really started to grow on her.

Now she was gone.

Just _gone_.

Weiss fell backwards, landing on her backside. She brought her knees up to her chest and tried her best to halt the streaming tears that just dismissed her will to stop. Blake was more reigned in, and it already seemed like Yang had done her bit. The blonde would never be the same again. Blake and Pyrrha dreaded what Yang would be like when she woke up.

"I-I just can't believe that she's gone," Pyrrha choked out. Blake forced herself to wipe away the tears and sadness. The constant tremors that vibrated through the Lookout reminded her that there were thousands of people back in Vale that still needed their help. She trusted that Gohan had the strength to combat Cell, so she would take her strengths elsewhere.

"Yes," Blake replied solemnly. Now was the time where giving up was not an option.

"This fight isn't over," Blake grounded out. Pyrrha and Weiss looked up at the girl who had seemingly turned her sadness into energy. She was glowing slightly, a purplish aura springing up around her. "We can't just give up. We can mourn Ruby later, right now we need to save what's left of Vale," she finished, as she got to her feet, as shaky as she was, she had to go back down there and help out. As long as she still breathed, she could continue fighting.

Pyrrha's doubts still clouded her eyes, and it was enough to get Blake to notice her dull and uncertain expression.

"Pyrrha snap out of it! We have to get back down there! There is a Dragon Grimm destroying Beacon! Gohan can handle Cell. We need to make sure that nobody _else **dies**_. Alright?!" Blake shouted, snapping Pyrrha out of her stump. Pyrrha nodded numbly. She still couldn't accept the fact that Ruby was gone.

Blake turned to the sobbing form of Weiss. The girl's eyes were red and her cheeks were stained with sticky wet streaks.

"Take care of Yang. We'll be back," Blake ordered. Weiss could only nod numbly as Blake grabbed Pyrrha by the hand and led the red headed girl over towards the edge of the Lookout. The cat faunus turned to her amazon companion.

"Are you ready? Now is the time, more important than ever, that we remain strong. For Ruby. For all the people who have lost their lives today," Blake spoke quietly. Pyrrha wiped her tears, her breathing had turned heavy and shaky. So much had happened today. This would no doubt go down in history as one of the worst tragedies in Remnant's history.

"No time to waste then," Pyrrha tried her best to sound brave, but it was clear the girl was still hurting. Blake gave her a nod of confirmation before they both leapt off the Lookout. Powering up, the two girls shot towards the small black flying dot that was circling the Kingdom in the distance. Purple and red intertwined as the girls tore through the sky.

They had lost so much, but they also had so much more to lose.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Yeah. Hi again. Couple of you might not be very happy with me. Killing Ruby was an extremely hard scene to write, not to mention emotionally draining. I can tell a lot of you might not agree with the story's pacing, considering it's only chapter nine and we are reaching the end of volume 3. I would just like to remind you guys that these chapters are over 20k words. I had no plans at all making them this long, but it just started to happen during the editing phases. These chapters are basically 3-4 chapters in one, because I dislike short chapters.**

 **So yeah! Ruby is dead. However, if you know your Dragon Ball, you know that death doesn't really mean it's the end of their story. I won't say anything, and I'll let you guys come up with what's going to happen in the future. I love seeing theories in the reviews, or in the discord. Let me tell you, it was a big decision to kill off Ruby.**

 **I can already see people complaining.**

 **"Oh, Yang wouldn't have been able to fight Semi-Perfect Cell on even ground! I call BS!"**

 **Yeah. You're right. It wasn't a fair fight. Cell was basically just toying with her.**

 **"Ruby's silver eyes did that much damage to Semi-Perfect Cell? YEAH RIGHT!"**

 **There's a reason it did as much damage as it did, and it has to do with the nature of Silver eyes in this story. I've made some adjustments to the way the power works, considering that we barely know anything about it, other than 'big white explosion, freezing everything in the area.'**

 **I hope you guys like the direction I'm taking this story, because now things get serious. Characters will start to change based on their experiences. While they will remain with their canon personalities, outlooks and viewpoints on certain subjects will change based on the events they have experienced. I think the biggest changes are with Blake, but you** **will see in the future.**

 **Now onto review responses!**

* * *

 **SSJacen35:**

 **I gave you are rather lengthy response in your personal messages. If you haven't checked it already, I answered every question you had in detail through PMs.**

 **Alexkellar:**

 **You… forgive me? Should probably take that forgiveness back after this chapter! Hahahahahaha!**

 **Guest - 4th of June:**

 **Yes, I do agree. Cell is probably a bit stronger than he was in canon because of absorbing countless huntsman and huntresses all over Remnant. Seeing as they are clearly stronger than normal humans from DB (excluding the powerful humans like Roshi etc), I would expect that he would grow much stronger than he originally was.**

 **FrostRaptor:**

 **Well... I didn't kill off Pyrrha! Do I get brownie points? Cookies!? Oh, sorry. :(**

 **Ultimatrix Bearer:**

 **Yep, the hits do keep on rolling indeed. As for your questions. 1) Goku may appear at some point. Who knows? Oh, yeah. I do. (smiley-face-pointy-nose). 2) Gohan may come clean soon. He has to at some point right? I have to do the cliche reveal and the shocked reactions! Otherwise it wouldn't be a crossover! :O**

 **Jackpotdante:**

 **You make some good points, and I will say that my story isn't perfect. I was well aware that would be issues around this. It seems that you're the first person to point this out. It may seem artificial, but when I write the characters, I want them to seem like they are talking like they should be, and not robotic ex-positional machines like some fanfics do. I try to have the characters make mistakes to learn from, so they can grow as characters. I want to explore their flaws and eventually overcome them.**

 **Maybe Gohan did go Super Saiyan at the wrong time due to myself trying to create tension, but at the same time, if he had gone Super Saiyan right at the start of the fight, I feel as if the fight would have been JUST Gohan and Cell instead of a group effort. Besides, I'd like to think that five verses one was enough for Gohan to decide against using Super Saiyan, but that's my point of view. It might be flawed, but then again, this is my first attempt at a DBZ crossover. I don't expect everything to be perfect.**

* * *

 **That's a wrap everyone! Chapter Ten might be awhile coming. I'm extremely busy wrapping with work and personal life stuff. So it will take awhile for me to get around to updating again. Hope you guys are cool with this. Remember, join the Discord if you want to get in touch with us directly!**

 **Ciao!**


	10. Diminishing Flames of Hope

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys, its been a difficult few weeks for me since the last update. I've been sorting out my life and contemplating the future. I suppose I write fanfiction so maybe one day I'll get round to writing my own stuff. I see this stuff as practice in building a story-line, so there are bound to be some inconsistencies, but I've been profoundly surprised at the amount of positive feedback from the last chapter.**

 **Honestly, I was genuinely surprised at how many people supported my decision to kill Ruby, (begrudgingly, of course) because that was possibly the biggest turning point in the story. It was incredibly hard picking who was going to kick the bucket in this chapter. I wanted to really nail the point that just because Gohan is in Vale, doesn't mean that everyone will be safe and survive. Hopefully I managed to achieve that.**

 **I've had some complaints about power scaling and where the RWBY characters currently stand in terms of strength. I also had a few guest reviews complaining about power scaling. If you want to complain about power scaling, at least have the dignity to use an account so I can respond to you and try and form some even ground with you. If you review as a guest to complain about power levels and rattle off pointless numbers to me, I'll just delete it, because I have little respect for those who hide behind anonymity when trying to flame.**

 **This does not mean I don't welcome criticism.**

 **I am an amateur writer, and I love it when people point out flaws because it helps me improve. Rattling off numbers and power levels and telling me what I've done is horrible doesn't exactly help anything. If anything you're wasting your own time. I'm not interesting in seeing power levels or what you think the proper scaling is. If you're looking for a story where a crossover character comes into the RWBYverse and steals the spotlight from everyone, I would advise looking over in the Naruto crossovers. You will not find that here.**

 **I've also had a handful of private requests to post power levels at the end of each chapter, and considering my stance on them, I have already stated that I would not do that. So, after everything I've said now, I hope that you guys understand my stance in power scaling when it comes to DBZ fanfiction.**

 **Enough of my ranting!**

 **On with the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Diminishing Flames of Hope

Flashes and colorful explosions of power illuminated the darkness that had descended upon the remains of Vale. The sound of thunder, clashing violently against an invisible force, roared from behind the large tower that stood in the middle of Beacon Academy. Two titans, threw themselves against each other in the hopes of overwhelming the opposition, though both were met with little success.

With each clash, the landscape was ripped asunder, their incomprehensible power causing the planet itself to shake. If the people of Vale were to look closely, they would see fierce blurs, fighting as if the planet itself was their battleground. The land was their canvas, and the colorful beams of light; their paint. Every punch felt like an earthquake. Each kick destroyed buildings, and every energy blast opened chasms in the earth. The Emerald forest had been completely obliterated in the crossfire.

Son Gohan refused to admit defeat, his mental strength forcing him to push forward with the fight. Every fibre of his body cried out in protest while his Saiyan blood reveled in the challenge. With each blow, his body weakened, but his resolve grew stronger. Never before had he been evenly matched with an opponent. It was always a one sided fight when it came to his battles. With the androids, they had been able to overwhelm him easily, but after his training, he had put an end to them with only moderate difficulty.

Now he stood against a single opponent who had gained enough power to stand as his equal. This battle would be a contest of willpower and stamina. Whoever faltered first would perish, and he was not about to let all the deaths caused by this monster go unpunished. It was his fault that Cell was slinking around this planet. It was his fault that all those people had lost their lives. He wasn't about to let this nightmare win!

A momentary halt in the battle allowed him to examine the situation, and survey the damage he had caused to his enemy. The green menace wiped a trail of blood from the corners of it's mouth, a sickening smirk on the creature's face. They both knew they had been weakened to a point where their power was equal. Cell knew it was a battle of endurance, and Gohan felt that his power was slipping faster than Cell's.

Cell's physical form was bruised and bloodied from the engagement they had found themselves in. Gohan was lucky enough that the bio-android had been weakened from Ruby's sudden burst of power, and he had been slightly worn down by Yang's transformation. All were small fights delaying the inevitable, where the half-Saiyan was destined to fight Dr. Gero's ultimate creation. However, while Cell bore his own injuries, Gohan was not fairing well himself.

The last Saiyan floated before the ultimate android, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. A furious snarl plastered on his features, and his sapphire colored eyes promising nothing but an excruciating death. The top half of his Gi had been destroyed, showing off his muscular torso, while his pants were ripped and tattered. His hair glimmered golden, shifting in the cold breeze of the night sky. It was time he finished this fight.

"You deserve nothing but death Cell," Gohan spat angrily. "All the suffering you have caused has abolished any chance for your redemption! I'm ending this!" the Saiyan declared fiercely. A low chuckle emitted from the bio-android's throat, mocking the boy's attempt to intimidate him. The green monster wasn't even close to being done, and he had no plans on dying tonight.

"Your words are nothing but empty threats. Do you honestly think I'll let you kill me now, when I'm so close to attaining my perfection!?" Cell bellowed, his voice carrying across the silent skies of Vale. The monster raised his fist in front of his face and channeled his power, a malicious smile appearing on his face. "Who do you think you are talking to? I am the ultimate fighter, the perfect being designed to have _no_ equal! When I reach my perfection, I will show this world, and the rest of the universe what _true_ power is!" the bio-android laughed confidently. The Saiyan Hybrid scowled, the words of the android pushing his rage closer to it's breaking point.

In response, a powerful golden aura exploded around Gohan once more, blinding light reflecting his inner rage. His roars echoed throughout Beacon and Vale, scaring huntsmen and civilians alike.

"Preach all you want, it won't stop me from **killing** you," Gohan cupped his hands to his side and began to channel as much energy as he could. The energy he was generating from his body formed in his hands, a radiant cobalt blue crackled with intense power. The light was so intense, it cast shadows all across the city. People stopped and watched in awe as it got brighter, the entire kingdom starting to shake as a result. The sound of the energy being collected echoed all across the land as debris started to rising into the air, circling the two deities of power.

"If you desired total annihilation, then you should have just asked!" Cell cupped his hands in response, a similar ball of azure energy expanding and sparking to life. The bright, blinding light intensified as lightning started to crackle around the kingdom of Vale. Buildings started to crumble as if the entire planet were being shaken to the very core. It was as if the world of Remnant itself were crying out for help as it approached its foreseeable end.

Lightning flashed through the sky, striking the ground without mercy, the ground below the two fighters smoking and blazing with a crimson inferno. Thunder echoed all around them, a familiar dark, foreboding atmosphere circled them, goading them to launch their attacks.

" **Ka…** " the Saiyan grounded out. Cell could only grin as he mirrored his enemy's words.

" **Me…** " lightning increased tenfold and shockwaves rang out across the sky. People screamed as they evacuated the kingdom in the remaining Atlas ships. Those who could see the commotion wished they were on the other side of the planet. Huntress and huntsmen alike, still on the ground fighting off the remaining hordes of Grimm actually took a moment to turn and look at the growing power in the sky behind Beacon.

" **Ha…** " thunder boomed louder than ever before, foreshadowing the doom that was about to unleashed upon the Kingdom of Vale.

" **Me…** " rain started to slowly drip down upon both fighters. In the moment, the rain began to shower down, the energy growing ever more powerful and showing no signs of stopping. In a single moment, that no one was prepared for, the half-Saiyan and the bio-android threw their hands forward, good and evil igniting the events of a final battle. It happened in a split second, and it would forever change the world of Remnant.

History would never be the same again.

" **HA!** "

Energy exploded from each fighter, rocketing towards each other with the intent to overcome one another. When the beams collided, a massive dome of energy emerged in the middle. Trees disintegrated around the area. Rocks and small hills crumbled under the sheer force of the energy. A tidal wave of debris formed directly under the two godly fighters, and ripped through Vale without mercy. Almost every living being still in the kingdom lost their footing and fell over from the sheer amount of power.

Debris crushed and slaughtered Grimm, shredding the creatures of darkness to pieces as the side effects from the two attacks continued to rip through the kingdom. Huntsmen and Huntresses had their aura to protect them, but that didn't stop injury and fatalities. Various first and second year students found themselves buried amongst rubble and pinned against buildings from the sheer force of the shockwave. Fourth and third year students were able to withstand the blast, but with minimal injury. The older, more experienced, were too busy protecting civilians who had yet to be evacuated.

The dome of violent energy continued to grow in size as each fighter tried to overwhelm the other. Neither Gohan, nor Cell were willing to let this energy struggle slip. It would be the end of one of them should one lose. They were locked in a fated battle that would determine the fate of the planet. There couldn't possibly be anything to contend with their strength. The strength they possessed was far beyond any comprehension for the people of Remnant. The gods had taken the stage, and would decide the fate of this world.

"You surprise me at every turn Gohan!" Cell roared with laughter. "This day has been eye opening to me. The potential you surround yourself with… that blonde girl. With the right training, she can become as strong as us! I will take great pleasure in absorbing her when that time comes!" he boomed. Gohan growled as he pushed a dangerous amount of energy into his attack.

"You won't live long enough to try!" Gohan snapped back. Each time one of them pushed, the other pushed back with the force to match it. Sooner or later, either one would overpower the other, or they would collapse from exhaustion. Gohan could feel his power dropping, and the horrible part was, that Cell's wasn't dropping as fast as his. At the rate they were going, Gohan was going to lose the encounter, and he knew the fate of the planet was in his hands now.

Failure was not an option

He had failed so many times in his life that he knew the feeling all too well. So many times he had arrived too late to save the people of Earth. Too many times had he failed to stop the androids from slaughtering the helpless people as if they were cattle. When he saw Cell incinerate the crowd of people, back at the stadium, his rage had been reignited, and Ruby's death turned that flame into a raging inferno of vengeance.

" _All that…_ " Gohan grunted as he summoned all of his willpower to his aid. For a split second, he could have sworn he had felt Piccolo and his father's presence beside him, helping him in his struggle against the bio-android. It was _time_ for him to let go of his past failures and mistakes. It was time to move forward and carve out a brand new future, one where he could look towards the distance and see the sun rise, as a beacon of hope.

" _ **STOPS NOW!**_ "

Power erupted from his finger tips, pushing even more raw energy into the Kamehameha wave. He had people to defend, lives to save! He couldn't fall here! The more these thoughts poured into his head, the more energy it gave his attack. With a mighty roar, he started to push Cell back. The beam was starting to edge in his favor, but Cell pushed back with even more power, evening out the struggle. Gohan knew both of them were at their limits.

" _I won't lose Cell! I will protect **everyone!**_ "

* * *

In the distant corners of the world, a barren wasteland lay in silence, a dark red hue overlaying the lands in an ominous fashion. A place where the light came to die, and the darkness was abundant. The living found no solace in a place like this, and the silence was forever present. In the dark corners of this hellish landscape, were beady, angry, hungry red eyes that thirsted for blood. However, they were patient, and old beasts, waiting for the command of their creator. They wouldn't dare invoke her wrath by leaving this domain without explicit permission.

In the deepest depths of this land lay a castle made of obsidian brimstone. It stood for the longest time, and it had withstood the dangers of the world. The Grimm didn't even dare approach this place, not unless _she_ had allowed them to. They were her pets, and she was their master. Submissive creatures never disobeyed their masters. They all feared her, but respected her nonetheless.

On the balcony of this castle stood the woman responsible for most of the atrocities committed in the world. Her subjects brought pain, suffering and fear to the petty humans that denied and fought against her. She held no love for either humans, or faunus alike. She was indifferent to their squabbles and delighted in causing them as much pain as she could. She was a witch born from ruin and horror. She was powerful and feared by all that knew of her existence.

Salem watched as her precious subjects invaded Vale, tearing down its walls and destroying its defences. She watched as all that opposed them eventually fell, but as she watched, a small frown graced her face. It seemed that her cute little pawn had been knocked off the board, interrogated by Ozpin's knight. She had little use for failures, but she had been aware of her pawn's predicament.

Her sacrifice would be necessary, it seemed. The new players that had entered the game had changed everything, and now the power of a Maiden seemed almost obsolete. She wouldn't allow Cinder to know that. The girl was obsessed with power, and desired to be more than she was ever destined to be. Salem thought she would be useful as a Maiden, but these _new_ fighters proved to be rather… bothersome.

Vale wouldn't fall like she had originally planned. Son Gohan, this boy wielding an incomprehensible amount of power would be able to swiftly deal with Cinder, so Salem had decided to keep Cinder on a path leading to her own death, to ensure that the operation was seen through till the end. Salem knew that she could find other candidates for a Maiden, and her secret project that she currently had infiltrating Beacon Academy would prove to be a worthy enough replacement. Besides, the Maiden's were only needed for their firepower. Her true objective was the Relics.

Held in all four kingdoms, four relics of untold, and unimaginable power were held apart from each other. She had no idea what kind of power they held, but it was her best chance at combating these new titans of strength. Son Gohan and this nightmarish abomination called Cell, both had the power to wipe civilisations of the map with a flick of their fingers. It was power she could only dream of, and those dreams didn't seem too far fetched if she were to acquire the relics.

However, another problem had risen, forcing a scowl to permeate her face.

She watched through the eyes of her subjects as Cinder divulged her allegiance with her and exposed her plans to Ozpin's knight. It bothered her, the moment she had done that the girl had become expendable. It didn't matter if she was the Fall Maiden or not. It was a true shame, Cinder had showed so much promise. She had been cunning, brutal and loyal. However, it seemed she had been touched by powers greater than her understanding.

Salem could actually feel the earth-shaking power being thrown around by the two enigmas from across the planet. The Grimm Mistress felt something she hadn't felt in a long time the moment she saw those two fight like _gods_. It was exhilarating, enthralling and very intriguing. She couldn't help but not watch through the eyes of her subjects. It was a power she craved for her own amusement. She could envision herself laying waste to this wretched world and rebuilding it in her own image, but the two responsible for those visions were the only blockades standing in her way.

Cell was a behemoth of strength. Growing and feeding off the life of others, constantly evolving and changing. It was something she found a lot of amusement in trying to figuring out. Cell was something like a parasite to her. Looking for the bigger source of power to feed on. He had already found one Maiden by chance alone, and that was enough to irritate her. However, she could not act on those emotions. Cell was a lone wolf, and she needed to find a weakness.

The silver eyed girl had been kind enough to highlight one to her before her untimely -and well deserved- demise.

Gohan on the other hand… he was something that bothered her.

Ozpin had kept him under his thumb for so long, keeping him a secret from her. Where had he come from? How did he attain such power, and how was it that he could share this power with the other pawns at Beacon Academy? Such an enigma indeed. This was a power she needed to look into. It was almost shocking that it could have escaped her for so long, considering that students at Beacon Academy seemed to be learning how to use it.

A voice behind her interrupted her thoughts.

"It seems that Cinder has… betrayed us," Salem turned to find a handsome man with a moustache and green eyes. This man was Doctor Watts, a very intelligent business man with a passion for science. "I know I thought lowly of her, but I never expected her to be foolish enough to violate her position with you." He stated with an unsurprised expression. Salem merely smiled sweetly, causing the businessman to swallow his fear.

"Worry not, Cinder was merely a pawn. I misplaced my trust in her. We are not all immune to making mistakes. Even the best of us make misjudgements," Salem spoke as a small Grimm latched itself to her arm. Her eyes started glowing with power and strength not many had ever witnessed. The man behind her was starting to feel nervous. His leader may not be physically strong, but her intelligence and magical power made her to be a serious threat to all life.

"These new threats and players have given me a lot to think about. It won't be long now until the relics are within our grasp. Good things come to those who wait, am I right, Doctor?" Salem asked, a small sinister smile gracing her features. The Doctor could only nod in submissive understanding. He dared not deny his mistress, or else invoke unspeakable punishment on his being. People who denied Salem never lived to tell the tale.

"With all due respect mistress, how do you plan on eliminating these obstacles?" He asked with curious, but careful eyes. Salem turned and strode back inside to an empty meeting hall. The table and chairs that circled it were unoccupied. The rest of her associates were busy planning back in their respective kingdoms. No doubt they all were watching the commotion in Vale through their own private means. A meeting would need to be placed to discuss these new threats.

"I have a few ideas," Salem stated, motioning to her Grimm on her arm. It crackled with power as it observed the battle between Gohan and Cell. That in turn, transferred the crackling power to the woman. She shuddered as the new sensation entered her body. "but you don't need to concern yourself with any of them. Once I am ready, I shall inform you." she concluded. Watts watched carefully as her blood-red eyes gleamed with unspeakable power. He gladly reminded himself that he had made the right choice in joining her.

Doctor Watts took that moment to bow before paying his respects before leaving the woman to her own devices. She sat down on the edge of the table in deep thought. The world was changing right before her very eyes because of these two new pieces that had been introduced to the playing field. Now it was time to figure out how to deal with them. Ideas swirled around inside of her head as she tossed and played with a few scenarios. Very few of them seemed feasible, but certainly workable.

A small smirk graced her lips as she turned to the small Grimm on her arm. She smiled as she stroked it affectionately. It reacted to her touch like a submissive pet, enjoying the attention of its dominant caretaker. Her eyes once again radiated with power, as a crimson glow formed around her hand. As she touched the Grimm, she was delighted to see that her little _project_ was safe and sound, making her way back from Vale, unhindered, and unseen.

"Go and call _her_ back. She should have retrieved what I sent her to accomplish by now. I wouldn't want anyone capturing my _ace_ so quickly." Salem cooed. The little Grimm detached itself from her arm and floated away into the darkness. Salem leaned back on her chair as a small chuckle exited her lips. This Gohan and Cell may be the most powerful beings on Remnant, but they were no where close to realizing just what she had planned for them.

"I can't wait to watch _all of you_ burn under my shadow…"

* * *

A trail of red and purple ripped through the sky, aiming towards Vale when the two balls of light suddenly came to an abrupt stop. The commotion happening behind Beacon Academy was enough to make them stop dead in their tracks, sensing the large power being exerted from their friend, and the blood-thirsty monster. There were no words exchanged for awhile, before the dragon's roar shook them out of their stump.

"This is absurd!" the black haired faunus exclaimed. "If they keep at it any longer there's not going to be a kingdom to _save_!" she finished. Pyrrha watched in awe as the dome of energy continued to grow larger, swallowing more space as both Cell and Gohan's energy fought for dominance. She couldn't fathom the fact that they had been holding back _this_ much. She could tell that this was their full power, and it made her feel so inadequate. How was she supposed to fight alongside Gohan when he dwarfed her in every single aspect?

"It's almost like Cell was playing with us…" Pyrrha trailed off, her skin going deathly pale. "If he's this strong, how powerful was he _before_? We aren't even close to being anywhere near their level!" she stated, a frustrated look arising in her eyes. They continued to watch as the two fighters clashed with the unimaginable power they possessed, but once again, the Grimm dragon interrupted their spectating. It seemed that the large monstrosity had taken notice of their presence in the air.

With a large flap of its wings, it blew the amazon warrior and the black cat faunus backwards, forcing them to readjust themselves in the air. The two girls looked up and scowled. They watched as black smoking parts of the dragon were dripping off its being and into the kingdom below. Grimm crawled out of every dark orifice like ants, and immediately began attacking surrounding huntsmen. The fact that Grimm could multiply like this was disturbing. Blake and Pyrrha immediately knew what they needed to do. The destruction of this dragon needed to take top priority, seeing as no one else was capable of dealing with it.

"I'm going to put my faith in Gohan, that he can deal with Cell. Right now, this dragon needs to die. If this thing is capable of spawning Grimm, then this invasion will never end," Blake stated, turning to her redheaded friend. "How are you going on power? I'm not feeling too hot after trying to hold off Cell and fighting my old partner."

"Old partner?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later," Blake replied quickly. Pyrrha merely sighed as she powered up slightly, glancing at her hands to examine her power.

"Right, well… I suppose I'm fine. Cell knocked me out before, so my body was able to recover a sufficient amount of energy. My aura has also managed to sustain itself, but by no means am I one hundred percent."

"Wasn't counting on it. We need to work together to take this thing down."

"Well, that's the idea isn't it?" Pyrrha questioned with a weak smirk. Blake chuckled bitterly as the dragon roared viciously towards them. The roar was so powerful, it vibrated the air around them, causing them to cover their ears. "Have you got a plan?"

"No," Blake grimaced. "I was just planning on winging it."

"I suppose that's as good as it's going to get. Let's go!" Pyrrha exploded forward, thundering towards the dragon. She closed the distance instantly, throwing her fist forward into the dragon's jaw. When her fist connected, a shockwave erupted from the impact. The dragon's head jerked sideways as bits of its white bone-like mask chipped and broke off from her hit. It once again roared and tried to bite at the small huntress superstar. She zipped out of range just in time for a large energy blast to collide with it's wing.

The dragon reared back angrily and turned to its new attacker. Blake floated a few meters away with her hands out stretched. She smirked in a mocking manner, gesturing for the dragon to follow her.

"Over here!" Blake snapped, grabbing the oversized Grimm's attention. The dragon ignored Pyrrha and set its sights on Blake. The faunus readied herself as the dragon raced towards her with surprising speed. In a short moment, it's jaws were already around her being. Using her semblance and extraordinary speed, she left an exploding clone behind as she zipped out of the danger. She twirled in the air and fired off a few quick energy blasts for good measure. The blasts connected with the side of its body, leaving a smouldering cloud of smoke pouring out of its side.

The clone exploded, leaving the dragon's mouth covered in soot and gashes while leaving a smoking trail as if the dragon was capable of breathing fire. However, she hadn't seen the retaliation as the dragon whipped its body around, its tail colliding with the small fragile girl. She barely had time to raise her arms in defense before she was sent shooting towards the ground, crashing through multiple buildings and walls. Blake groaned in pain as she felt her aura and adrenaline dull the injuries.

Slowly she pushed herself to her knees, rocks and building material falling off her back as she struggled to stand. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, as her head throbbed, signaling an oncoming headache. She was honestly surprised she was alive. That hit had enough force to kill any normal person outright. Huntsman or not, your aura would not withstand a tail swipe by a dragon almost fifty times the size of you.

" _This energy stuff really does make you durable, but that doesn't mean this doesn't hurt-!_ " Blake winced as she stood up, the muscles in her body aching for release. However, she ignored them and slowly floated back into the air with relative difficulty. Pyrrha zipped down and helped her stabilize herself. It was became quite clear that being hit by the dragon more than once would be enough to kill them.

"Blake, are you okay!?" the red headed warrior frantically questioned, concern evident in her voice. Blake's breathing was laboured and erratic. If that Grimm managed to get another hit on her like that, she'd become red paste on the pavement below. She was lucky that her aura could withstand a hit of that magnitude. It only strengthened the evidence that her energy also multiplied her aura reserves and made her stronger!

"That attack took me by surprise. How can a dragon move like that in the air?"

"It's a Grimm, they aren't natural. I don't suppose their movements would be either."

"Whatever, let's just kill this thing."

Both Blake and Pyrrha shot back into the sky after a few moments of rest to engage the dragon once again. However, a few spectators were able to witness the event.

Down on the ground, the other members of team JNPR watched in mild confusion as they saw Blake and their teammate Pyrrha seemingly fly and fire off energy beams. Nora, being her usual energetic and crazy-self, thought it was awesome. Ren and Jaune however, shared more similar thoughts. They were fully aware that Pyrrha couldn't fly, and they were sure that Blake couldn't either.

"Whatever they're doing, it's hurting the dragon. We need to keep the ground controlled for them," Ren remarked quickly. Jaune could only nod, his eyes focused and locked onto his red headed partner that he suddenly felt like he didn't know that well anymore. If they survived this, he'd have many questions for her indeed.

"Where did Pyrrha and Blake learn to fly? It's almost like they've had some kind of secret training…" Jaune trailed off, awe clearly reflected in his eyes.

"You would be right, Mr. Arc," Professor Goodwitch approved, as she approached the trio. She addressed them all with a curt nod. "Ms. Nikos and Ms. Belladonna have undergone very special training. If you have questions, you can ask them after we survive this, but as of right now, we must focus on pushing the Grimm out of the City." she informed curtly.

"Alright, then let's get to work," Jaune said being refilled with vigor and determination. Team JNPR, minus Pyrrha ran off to join the other students and huntsmen in clearing the Grimm out of Vale. With the Grimm dragon spawning more lesser Grimm by the dozen, their work had become even more difficult.

While the remnants of team JNPR ran to join the fight on the ground, another loud explosion ripped through the sky as the large flying reptile Grimm took another energy blast to its side.

Blake and Pyrrha were struggling to combat the dragon, while also focusing on reducing the collateral damage that they seemed to be causing unintentionally. It seemed that whatever damage they would do to it, it would shake off and push through. Nothing seemed capable of bringing this thing down. Even with both their powers, attacking from multiple different angles at the same time didn't seem to be doing enough to cripple the monster.

"Nothing we're doing is working!" Blake growled in agonized frustration. She and Pyrrha had backed off to give themselves another break. The dragon continued to roar and drop more lesser Grimm into Vale below them. It seemed to be circling Beacon, waiting for something, as if it was waiting to be commanded to undertake a task. The more it continued to drop Grimm, the more trouble their friends on the ground would have.

"It seems to heal whatever damage we do to it. I've never encountered a Grimm that was able to repair such damage before! I know we have been hurting it, but it isn't enough. We need something more powerful than what we are putting out right now, and I'm starting to lose energy," Pyrrha exhaled, fatigue clearly starting to take its toll.

They were starting to drop dangerously close to expending all their energy, and Gohan had warned that it was dangerous to go any further. They knew expending all of their energy meant either dying, or being trapped in a comatose state while the body shut down to recover essential energy.

"I'm running low as well, but I think I have an idea."

"Anything would be good right now."

"We need to combine our energy into one attack. I'm going to take a wild guess that it's mouth is it's weak point. If we can get a blast off when it opens its mouth, then we might be able to destroy it from the inside out," Blake explained briefly. Pyrrha thought it over for a few seconds before nodding her head in agreement.

"That's seems plausible. Let's try it."

"I don't think I have enough power for a second attack," Blake stated softly, her voice laced with exhaustion. Pyrrha could tell her injuries were finally starting to wear her down. They needed to end this quickly. She doubted they would have enough power to get back to the Lookout, let alone going to help Gohan.

"Are you ready?" Pyrrha asked with slight uncertainty. They floated next to each other, charging and levelling their energy. They needed to be controlled and calm for this, otherwise their attacks wouldn't work in the way they needed them to. The cat faunus could only look pained.

"There's only one way to find out," Blake breathed as she raised her hands. Pyrrha mirrored her actions. They were running out of energy so they needed to act fast. The dragon seemed to notice what they were doing, and it didn't like it one bit. Its existence was in danger of being erased and instinctual fear kicked in.

Pyrrha and Blake charged up, a crackling golden energy forming in their hands. Blake's black aura thundered around her as Pyrrha's red aura circled around her body, their flaming auras starting to meld and fuse together forming a magenta-like blend. As their energy grew, so did the size of their auras. It would be one final attack against the dragon, they wouldn't be able to fight a physical battle with the oversized Grimm.

The dragon roared and charged, ripping through the air towards the girls. They held their position as the energy multiplied in size and power in their hands. They gazed at the advancing form of the giant Grimm, their minds focused and ready. They weren't going to die here. No, this was where their lives were just beginning!

The dragon opened its mouth, intending to swallow them whole.

The two girls unleashed hell upon the creature.

Two unique beams of energy exploded from the girl's hands, intertwining on the way to the dragon and merging into one single attack. The beam entered the dragon's mouth and ripped through its body, exiting out the other side. It was a moment to stop and watch in awe as the dragon's body went limp and dropped to the ground, falling like a weightless ragdoll abused by the force of gravity. The girls watched as the large beast hit the ground with a resounding crash. It's large body, crushing buildings and blocking streets.

Before the girls could even celebrate their victory, their energy started to falter.

Blake and Pyrrha suddenly dropped out of the sky, falling towards the ground like rocks, landing and cracking the ground below them when they impacted. Their bodies were unmoving, except for the gentle rise and fall of their chests. Their energy spent and their bodies exhausted from the fight.

The two looked at each other for a few moments, emerald green eyes meeting amber. They two stifled a small laugh of victory, regardless of how bitter sweet it was. For that moment, it had occurred to them… and it was only a small thing.

They had probably just defeated the biggest Grimm mankind had ever faced.

And they had done it together. Just the two of them.

Both seemingly passed out from exhaustion moments later as older students arrived and found them, picking them up and bringing them back to the safety of the groups that had formed.

The fight was ending, but there was one more fight that needed to come to an explosive close.

* * *

Her eyes were clenched shut, refusing to look, as if she hoped it would dull the pain that had yet to overcome her senses. However, the longer she held them, the longer she had to wait for the pain and surprisingly, it had never seemed to come. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw the man standing in front of her, a sword in hand and multiple disintegrating Grimm behind him.

"Was that so hard?" the man questioned cynically. Cinder didn't know what to say, her words completely lost on her. All she could do was attempt to control her heartbeat and panicked breaths. Having tread on the abyss of death, she had allowed herself to speak her true, vulnerable feelings. The man smirked, a mocking gleam in his eyes as he watched her recollect herself.

"People are more honest with themselves when right on the brink of death. How hard was it to admit that you are just _wrong_? That all this chaos served no purpose to you?" Qrow asked. Cinder shook with fear as she found herself struggling to find the words she needed to explain herself. "Take your time, I'm in no rush," he drawled in a bored tone.

"I-I…" she started. She blinked and swallowed hard. "all my life I wanted to be powerful. To be strong and to be feared." Cinder choked out. She gazed up at Qrow, her cheeks reflecting the trails of tears that had formed in her eyes, only moments before her imminent demise.

"Salem promised me all of that and more. She told me… she told me that I was important! That I could rule over whoever I chose to dominate," Cinder explained with a hoarse voice. She looked away, ashamed and completely disgusted with herself. She lived by morals and a set of rules, and now she was breaking them.

"I find it almost laughable that you believed an inhuman abomination like her," Qrow almost had to stop himself from laughing. "What kind of woman did you think she was? She hates humanity and everything it stands for. Did you think she was just going to let you live once you had outlived your purpose?" Qrow mocked. Cinder didn't even give him the satisfaction of reacting. She was broken… _defeated_. Her life was meaningless without a desire.

"I thought she could give me what I wanted. All I had to do was serve her and carry out any task she wished me to do," Cinder retorted. Qrow could only scowl in response.

"And what happens after that?" Qrow laughed. Cinder looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. He turned and threw his hands up into the air dramatically. "You think she's just going to keep you around after she has acquired all the relics? All the pieces that give us the power to stay free people? You're a pawn Cinder, you always have been. You're replaceable, expendable!" Qrow hammered on, constantly tearing away at her exposed insecurities.

"I WAS TO BE THE FALL MAIDEN!" Cinder screamed abruptly. Her form shrunk into herself, her head hung and her vision was blurred with tears. Qrow straightened up, chuckling mirthlessly.

"She only wants the Maidens because they give her the power to achieve her goals faster. Nothing can compare to the powers of those relics. They were created by the gods themselves. The Maidens and the Wizard? Just a washed-up fairy tale," Qrow explained. Cinder remained utterly silent, lulling over the truth of his words. Maidens, a mythical and magical source of power that only four unique individuals could carry at a single moment.

Now rendered almost irrelevant and laughable by the power being displayed by Cell and Gohan. She shifted uncomfortably, an uncaring look plastered on her features.

"Why did you save me?" Cinder replied in a sulky, sullen manner. Qrow eyed her carefully before sighing in an exasperated manner. It was one of pity. The woman that had _somehow_ managed to chase off Ozpin, was now sitting before him, tied to a lamppost, powerless and completely at his mercy. She didn't even value her own life at this point. Perhaps he should have let her be mauled by the Grimm.

"Because unlike you, I value the fragile thing that is 'life'. By all rights, I should run this blade right through you…" Qrow remarked as he looked at her with pity in his eyes. Cinder lifted her head to see that. There was nothing she hated more than to be pitied, but she couldn't even find the energy to hate this man. Every part of her being had been emotionally and physically expended.

"Seeing you now? You're not even worth the effort. Look at you. You're pathetic. You remind me of a girl who made all the wrong choices in her life, and now she can't even admit that she was wrong. You've dug yourself a deep grave; are you just going to lay down and give up? Or are you going to try and claw your way out, and join the rest of the fight and try and do the right thing?" Qrow lectured. He wasn't one for redemption, but this girl seriously couldn't seem to pick a proper side.

Cinder didn't respond. Qrow sighed in a disappointed fashion, he only hoped he wouldn't come to regret this. He brought his sword up and swung.

The shackles keeping her restricted were broken. She was momentarily stunned as she looked up at Qrow with confusion in her eyes. He was… letting her go? For what reason?

"You're letting me… go?" Cinder asked incredulously. Qrow shrugged, an uncaring look reflected in his posture.

"You're not a threat anymore. Fall Maiden or not, we have more than enough power to crush you should you ever step out of line. I'm not the killing type like my sister is," Qrow turned to walk away once more, this time Cinder's strength was starting to return to her, but she couldn't find it in herself to kill this man.

"Go live your pathetic life elsewhere, and don't even think about starting trouble. If, or when you come to your senses, come and find me. Until then, _try_ not to die." Qrow vanished right before her eyes, leaving her standing in the middle of a darkened street in the middle of the night. She looked over towards the Emerald Forest to see two large powers clashing in a magical energy struggle that was destroying and shaking the landscape around it.

She clenched her fists.

She suddenly felt so small in a world so big.

Returning to Salem would be grounds for death. The cold woman would sooner kill her than even think about forgiving her for her failure and betrayal. She didn't have the stomach to turn over a new leaf, not after she had practically plunged Vale into chaos and condemned its citizens to be slaughtered by the Grimm.

Cell seemed to have done more damage than she had, but she certainly played a part in Beacon's downfall, but that didn't guarantee her survival. She had nowhere to go. She was a pawn with no King.

She was expendable.

Worthless.

She turned and ran off into the night, unsure of where she would go.

* * *

The nightmare didn't seem to be any closer to being over.

The clashing waves of pure energy struggled to gain footing over one another as each of its master's pushed more and more energy into it. This had gone on for some time now, and it felt like despite both warriors pouring more power into their attacks, they were also growing weaker. The passage of time was ignored, and neither of them knew how long they had been locked inside this clash.

Gohan and Cell refused to give in for their own reasons. It was a battle of determination and strength of will. Who would give in first and drop their energy output? The collateral damage would be immeasurable either way. The entirety of the Emerald Forest had been destroyed in the crossfire, and now Vale was starting to feel the weight of the power as buildings crumbled to the ground from the aftershocks of the power.

" _Not long now… if I don't end this soon, I'll drop from energy fatigue!_ " Gohan exclaimed in his thoughts. His body was starting to feel lighter, and his arms were starting to burn. He could feel his transformation start to waver as more energy vacated his body. He could feel Cell's energy dropping just as fast. In the next few minutes the struggle would conclude. The winner could be determined by a coin flip at this point.

Cell however was starting to break down. His body was screaming in protest as something inside of him wanted to rip itself from the inside out. He wasn't sure if it was the android he had absorbed earlier, or if this was something else. It was crippling him and draining his power the more he channeled more energy. However, he had the cells of all the greatest fighters in the universe! Freeza, Vegeta, King Cold and Goku! All terrifyingly powerful people that thrived in battle.

He was the perfect being, designed for for the sole purpose of being as powerful as possible! He could _not_ lose!

" _I won't let him win! He will not take away my chance at perfection! I have waited too long for this!_ " the bio-android roared internally. All those lives he had absorbed and taken as his own would be for nothing! He wouldn't die today! He wouldn't allow himself too! That red girl had almost killed him, and he hadn't been prepared! That wasn't going to happen ever again!

The earth below them started to crack and split under the pressure. The energy beams grew as they approached unstable and uncontrollable levels. The two just continued to push against each other, refusing to give in. The land around them was disfigured and dismissed in their thoughts. The planet was now facing possible destruction.

"This is it Gohan! This is where you **PERISH!** " Cell gave one last push, his energy exploding, expanding the sapphire destructive energy wave to immeasurable proportions. The tide was suddenly flipped and Gohan found himself losing ground. Cell's booms of laughter echoed as Remnant approached its foreseeable demise. The Saiyan growled, anger surging through his being, gifting him untold power. His golden aura flared once more in the final effort.

"I'm going to avenge every life you've ever taken Cell! I have too many people counting on me to fail now! **I WON'T LET YOU WIN!** " the half-Saiyan's voice echoed throughout the valley, as his energy exploded forth, the dome of energy expanding even larger than before. The middle ground of the attack was erratic, rubber banding back and forth towards Gohan and Cell. It had become so large that it reached the ground and started to disintegrate the crust of the planet below.

All over the planet people were running for the nearest cover as the entire planet started to shake violently. Trees toppled in distant forests and mountains started to crumble under the intense stress the planet was undergoing. Neither were willing to give up, and both failed to realize that the well-being of the planet was now under threat. There was no telling how this battle would end.

However, before either Cell or Gohan had a chance to react, a stray energy blast ripped through the sky and collided with the side of the blast. It seemed pitiful and small compared to the deity-like power being displayed, but it had been powerful enough to puncture the energy flow of the assaulting Kamehameha waves. It all happened in a few short moments, that could be described as an agonized eternity to the duo combatants.

The dome expanded and before anyone had the chance to flee, it exploded, engulfing the entire landmass with both Cell and Gohan together. The Saiyan Hybrid had enough time to put up an energy barrier to dismiss most of the damage, but it wouldn't be enough to save him from all of it. Even an energy barrier wouldn't be able to stop all the damage from abusing his already weakened body.

The energy swallowed the entirety of the remaining scraps of the Emerald Forest, extending even to Beacon Academy. The shockwave alone forced the large structure to crumble and fall in on itself. Students ran, fleeing for their lives. Teachers and older huntsmen guided them out fast enough to avoid any serious casualties, but that didn't stop the horror as everyone present watched as the famed Beacon Academy crumbled to an unrecognizable scrap heap.

As Beacon fell, so did the hopes of many. The negativity skyrocketed to new heights, drawing in the most dangerous Grimm mankind had ever witnessed. The people of Vale saw the Academy as a shining light of hope, the place where you went to train, to protect the future. The kingdom's remaining citizens and huntsmen watched as their home, and light of hope fell to pieces. The echos and howls of manic Grimm were heard everywhere as the last line of defenses fell.

 **Vale had fallen.**

A wave of smoke and dust clouded the entire area, blinding huntsmen and civilians alike. A fog of thick dust and smoke enclosed the land around where Beacon once stood. The Grimm poured in like tidal waves, scavenging for prey. The horror and terror people were experiencing drew in more powerful, older Grimm than before.

"We cannot stay here. The kingdom is lost! Gather and evacuate as many people as possible, then get to safety!" Glynda commanded, a hint of fear in her voice. The teachers and huntsmen around her heeded her wise words and immediately began evacuating the last remaining people out of the city. The Grimm were like swarms of angry bees. It was only a matter of time before Vale became a distant memory like Mountain Glenn had.

"I can't believe it's all gone…" Jaune whispered, his sword dropped to his side as his eyes surveyed the complete annihilation of his current home. Ren and Nora were both utterly shocked at the amount of destruction they were witnessing, but at the same time, this was nothing new to them. Grimm seemed to always find a way to overrun even the most defended places. It was only a matter of time before humanity was swarmed by the creatures of darkness.

"We need to leave. Now," Ren suggested in a grim tone. They all knew that Pyrrha was fine. She could take care of herself, and they had seen her take down that oversized dragon Grimm with Blake. They would be powerful enough to defend themselves. Right now, the rest of them needed to escape the burning kingdom and seek shelter in nearby villages, and that was assuming there were any left after Cell's horrific rampage outside the kingdoms.

While huntsmen and citizens alike were evacuating with the help of what remained of the Atlas Military, Qrow Branwen sped through the city with haste. His direction was towards ground zero, where Gohan and Cell had been fighting. He knew that type of explosion was big enough to catch both of the fighters in the after effects. He knew Gohan was fast, but not _that_ fast. He could sense the boy's energy, only barely, but it was there and it was stationary.

The older huntsman was dashing through the fog of smoke with his red cape tied around his mouth and nostrils. Inhaling any of the fumes would kill him faster than his alcohol poisoning would. He needed to find the center of the blast. In his panicked and desperate state to find Gohan and any other survivors, his foot caught something metallic, and he almost lost his footing.

When he turned, his blood ran cold, his eyes widening in horror.

Looking down at the ground, through all the misty fog he saw the familiar shape of a weapon lying on the ground, covered in soot and dust. This was it, there was no other weapon like that, or had that shape. The sharpness of the weapon, and the unique curve of the blade. The sickening familiar color scheme of red and black decorated the weapon in an almost taunting fashion.

He bent down, picking up the weapon, his hands shaking with uncertainty and denial.

Crescent Rose was lying there, abandoned.

" _Oh **God** no. Please… not her!_ " His trembling hands refusing to believe that the one person that radiated the brightest light in his life was now gone. He looked over it. The girl never went anywhere without it. It was her baby. Her greatest love. He still had fond memories of watching over the little girl creating it. She was a mechanical gun nut and she adored everything to do with weapon smithing, and the most painful part about this was the fact that she wanted a weapon just like _his_.

As he hooked the weapon to his belt, he assumed the worst. A sinking feeling that tore at his insides and almost destroyed him emotionally. He couldn't sense her. That bubbly girl with a light so bright that even her own angelic mother would be blinded by it. All she wanted to do was grow up and help people. He had helped her try and do that by training her.

He had helped her follow her dream…

And now because he had done that, her dream had led her here.

The almost gut-wrenching truth that she had been _murdered_ by someone.

Those words haunted him. Summer's death was hard enough to accept. He wouldn't be the first to admit it, but he had feelings for the white cloaked angel. Sometimes he wished that maybe perhaps Ruby could have been his daughter. He almost caught himself sometimes looking at her like one. She was a splitting image of her mother, it was difficult not to make that comparison.

Her kind nature was a telltale trait she shared with Summer. Her desire to help people was more than he had ever had. So many people around him seemed to die or suffer an extraordinary amount of misfortune. Ozpin was gone, Summer… Raven… now, there was a high chance that Ruby now shared the same fate. He really was a living, walking bad luck charm. Nothing in his life ever seemed to go his way. It was a small consolation that he caused as much bad luck for the bad guys as he did the good ones.

A small tear rolled down his cheek as he wiped it quickly, pushing on in his mission. He had a young power-house to find. He could sense Gohan up ahead, and he needed to get to him quickly, the boy's energy was fading fast. On the bright side, he couldn't sense Cell anywhere. That disgusting creature was probably the one responsible for Ruby's death.

If it was still breathing, he would make it his life's mission to hunt Cell down and butcher that monster himself.

Making his way down into the crater, he found Gohan lying on a mound of mud, dirt and steaming rock. The boy was in bad shape. His orange clothes were torn and the upper-torso of the clothes had been destroyed. Thankfully, the kid wasn't a corpse yet.

There was luckily no limb damage, the boy seemed to be intact, but the damage looked severe and almost life-threatening. He was bleeding all over, multiple lacerations, cuts, bruises, broken bones… you name it. This kid looked like he had crawled out of the underworld fighting tooth and claw. Thinking about it fighting Cell was probably worse.

Qrow didn't say anything. He carefully lifted the unconscious boy onto his shoulders, taking one last look around. Cell was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't sense him or anyone else around. He growled menacingly, a dark hatred roaring to life behind his dark red eyes. As the day ended, the Vytal Festival would now be a day people would remember as the day Vale fell to forces greater than it. Cell had made himself known to the world, and now Remnant _truly_ had something to fear.

A bright white aura exploded around Qrow as he shot into the sky, heading towards the Lookout. They had a long road ahead of them, and if there was one thing Qrow needed right now, it was a hell of a lot of drinks.

He wasn't sure Remnant had enough to quell the storm of agony in his chest.

* * *

The aftermath was catastrophic.

Most of the Vale citizens had been evacuated by the military and huntsmen. Multiple parties were either fleeing to Mistral or Atlas, seeing as Vacuo had certain survival requirements, and tended to be filled with thieves and mercenaries. Very few people actually saw Vacuo as a viable option. He had a feeling that's where Vale's underworld would flee too. No doubt Roman Torchwick and his lackeys were already halfway there.

The remaining students that attended Beacon were spread thin and camping in safe spots around the city. The second and first years were being prepped to be shipped off to either Haven, or Atlas Academy to continue their studies. Third and fourth year students were also offered this, but there was also the option to stay behind with squads of professional huntsmen to fight against the hordes of Grimm to take back Vale. While the kingdom had fallen, that didn't mean it couldn't be rebuilt.

However, it was quickly becoming apparent that it was a fleeting opportunity when more dangerous Grimm started to flood the kingdom from every angle, so gradually they had begun to fall back. They had to make sure that every surviving man, woman and child had made it out before they left Vale to the Grimm.

When Pyrrha and Blake eventually came around, it had been a few hours since the conclusion of the Vale tragedy. They had woken up to see the crumbled, broken form that was their school only the previous day. They were forced to swallow this reality as it came to them. There was no avoiding this. Cell, Grimm and the White Fang had managed to bring the entirety of Vale to it's knees in only a few hours. The entire world would be plunged into chaos in just a few weeks if everything continued the way it was going.

They snuck out of the group that had been carrying them around and took off, heading towards the Lookout that seemed to be unaffected by all the destruction that had happened around Vale. Forever Fall forest seemingly looked untouched from the chaos. The beautiful, luscious crimson forest lay in silence as the smoke rose in the distance.

As they landed on the edge of the Lookout they made their way toward the temple building which had multiple rooms and beds. When they got inside, they found Qrow and Weiss sitting next to a bed with Gohan lying unconscious in it. They could immediately sense his energy the moment their eyes landed on the unconscious boy, but it was weak, and recovering slowly. It seemed that Gohan would be out for a while.

He was wrapped all over with bandages, and his peaceful form looked pained. His facial features were stricken with exhaustion and discomfort. He would return to normal after a few minutes, but then it would start up all over again. It was a tough process to watch, and the events of the day were not making it any easier to cope. Qrow was sat in a chair drinking his flask, looking more pale than a ghost, and he also looked a bit sick.

Weiss had seemingly stopped crying. Her eyes were still red, and her face was impassive. She tended to Gohan's wounds as best she could. She cleaned the blood off him and changed his bandages when they got too bloody. She was rather savvy with medical equipment, but she was no professional. She only had the most basic understanding of medical treatment. They were requirements for huntsmen, incase one of your teammates got hurt out in the field.

However, there was an absence that bothered Blake to no end. There was no blonde in sight, and she knew for a fact that Yang was up here.

"Where's Yang?" Blake asked quietly. Weiss turned to her with a saddened look in her eyes.

"When she woke up, she… she's out the back of the Lookout. She… needed time," Weiss admitted, her shoulders still rigid and edgy. Pyrrha looked towards Qrow for an answer on what had happened to Gohan. She didn't even need to ask for Qrow to seemingly read her mind and give her an answer. The man's stare was distant, and he seemed fixated on the wall behind Weiss. He felt empty and hollow, his aura cold and unwelcoming. It was concerning to the girls who could sense his energy.

"I don't know, so don't ask," He scowled bitterly, taking another swig of his flask. It was about his seventh refill in the past hour alone. "When I found him, Cell wasn't there. Whatever had happened over there was enough to almost kill him, so I assume that either Cell is dead or is injured somewhere. Knowing my luck, it's probably the latter." Qrow explained, swirling the liquid in his flask.

"Is he going to be okay?" Pyrrha asked, her face filled with concern as she looked at the extent of Gohan's injuries. Weiss sighed as she pulled the bedsheets away to reveal the silky white bandages that seemed to be soaking in the blood from the boy's wounds. Blake and Pyrrha cringed at the sight. Normally aura would heal up wounds like that and have them closed quite quickly when resting, but it seemed that Gohan didn't have aura. His injuries would take longer to heal.

"I-I don't know. If left without care, he could have died. I'm not sure if he will make a full recovery or not. His aura doesn't seem to be healing him," Weiss stated.

"He doesn't have an aura," Qrow snapped aggressively. Weiss recoiled a bit and hung her head. Qrow merely sighed. "Sorry. Still trying to get use to the fact that my niece is _dead_ ," he growled deeply, his voice rough and full of loathing. Weiss merely sat there on the other side of Gohan's bed, refusing to utter even a single word, or look towards Qrow. Pyrrha and Blake immediately hung their heads, sending a silent prayer to the fallen girl.

"I-I'm going to go talk to Yang," Blake muttered walking out of the room leaving the three to watch over the boy. The black-haired cat faunus walked out of the Lookout temple and walked around towards the back. She followed Yang's energy, it wasn't hard to find. When she found the buxom blonde, Blake stopped in her tracks.

The fiery blonde no longer had a fire to her anymore, as if her will to live had been extinguished along with her happiness. Sitting on the edge of the Lookout, covered in bandages, mostly around her lower back and shoulders, was Yang Xiao Long. All Blake could see was her back, but just but looking at her lazy, slouching posture, the raven-haired girl could tell that her sunny partner was no longer that sunny.

"Yang?" Blake broke the silence. Yang's head perked up slightly, and turned to investigate who the voice belonged to. Blake could see the dried tears on her cheeks. Her blood red eyes seemed to have stuck and taken the place of her lilac eyes. Yang looked like she was an emotional wreck, the blonde had a look of pure and utter defeat on her face. It was practically heartbreaking to Blake, seeing her best friend so utterly drained in every aspect.

"Oh… hey Blake," Yang responded in a tired fashion. The girl in question went over and sat next to her blonde friend. She was also hurting for the loss of their red-hooded teammate, but Ruby was Yang's sister, and the two had grown up together. The blonde seemed very protective and encouraging of the younger sibling. Now that she was gone, it was like Yang was missing a vital piece of her heart.

"How are you holding up?" Blake asked. She knew it was a stupid question, but sometimes you had to be blunt with people to know how they're really feeling. Yang would be honest with her, she was always that kind of person. Yang hated lying, despite the times she did it to cover her ass or someone else's. The blonde chuckled bitterly, suffering as clear as day behind each laugh.

"I'm hoping that this is all a dream, and that I'm going to wake up any minute now, back in our dorm room. Back to where I was happiest. W-when Ruby was s-still a-alive," Yang choked out the last few words. Blake merely followed her gaze, looking down through the clouds at the red mist below that was the Forever Fall forest.

"I don't know what to say to you to make you feel better. She was my friend; your sister. I am hurting as well Yang, but you know that we can't just give up," Blake said, looking towards her friend. Yang continued to stare into the clouds below, her glass eyes reflecting no emotion. There were no more tears to shed. She was literally incapable of crying anymore.

Despite this Yang remained silent. Blake just sighed as she tried to find her voice. Yang had set her on the right path back at the dance. The fiery blonde had managed to pull her out of her obsessive and self-destructive path, now it was time for her to do the same.

"I don't know if Gohan managed to kill Cell or not, but we have to be prepared if something like this happens again," Blake concluded. There were a few moments of silence as the blonde contemplated the words of her best friend. She and Blake had become so close since the formation of Team RWBY, and now it felt like Blake was one of the only people in her life that she could hold dear.

"I couldn't do _anything_ to him," Yang responded, gazing at her hands. She flexed her fingers back and forth, remembering just how painful it had been to have Cell squash her hands like that. It had been agonizing, but her blood had been boiling so much that the pain had been dulled. Her eyes had been ablaze, focused on killing and maiming the monster who had violently murdered her only sister.

Even with that new transformation, she hadn't been strong enough to avenge Ruby…

"He just stood there and took every hit I threw at him! I've never wished death upon anyone in my entire life! I wanted to,-" Yang's voice cracked as the air around the two grew hot and thick. The temperature started to rise as Yang's eyes started to glow once more. "-I wanted to watch him suffer, to bleed him dry and butcher him."

Blake's eyes merely widened at the language Yang was using. The flirtatious, happy-go-lucky blonde having such loathing and hatred for a single being did not fit her personality at all. Blake found it difficult to listen to as Yang's emotions continued to drag her down a path that Blake was all too familiar with. The worst part, was not knowing how to prevent her doing so. The black haired cat faunus wasn't exactly sure what to say to comfort her friend.

"You tried your best…"

"My best wasn't enough Blake!" Yang exclaimed suddenly. "Don't you get it? Cell isn't something we can just deal with like any other Grimm. We _weren't_ trained to fight against people who can destroy kingdoms without even trying!" the blonde brought her legs up close to her chest, trying to hide her face behind her knees. Blake's gaze just drifted off towards the clouds below them, her legs dangling loosely of the edge of the Lookout.

"That doesn't mean we can just give up. Gohan taught us how to control this power, and we need to get stronger so that we _can_ stand up to Cell!" Blake retorted quickly. Yang looked away, averting her gaze from her partner. She didn't know what it was that forced her to look away. Was it shame and guilt that she couldn't save her only sister? Was it the fact that if she had just simply told Ruby and Weiss about what they were doing, that maybe Ruby might have survived? Whatever it was, the pain didn't seem to be showing any signs of leaving.

"I never asked for any of this," Yang muttered bitterly. Blake turned to look at her blonde partner out of the corner of her amber eyes. There were fresh tears dripping out of Yang's eyes and trailing down her cheeks. Blake wasn't even sure if the girl had noticed she had started crying again. All this pain and suffering must have numbed the feeling for her. "When I asked Gohan to teach me about this power that he had, I never would even _guessed_ we would end up here."

"No one could have seen this coming Yang."

"We _should_ have."

"Sometimes… bad things just happen."

There was a few moments of calm silence before Yang uttered something under her breath that Blake had managed to catch wind of.

"I wanna go home."

It was barely louder than a whisper, but Blake's sharp hearing had managed to pick up on it. The mentioning of home had Blake thinking about Menagerie. It had been years since she had talked with her parents face to face, and while she had been kind enough to send a few letters home, she was always terrified about what they thought of her since she had abandoned them. It had brought her immense pain, but after these events, she couldn't help but agree with Yang.

The idea of returning home in these dark hours seemed more appealing than ever.

" _I miss Mom and Dad…_ " Blake thought quietly to herself. She looked up, watching the sun set on the tormented land in the horizon, she could still see smoke rising from where Vale was. In the mere distance, the city was still burning and crying out for peace. She couldn't help but think when this would all be over, and how many people would suffer the same fate Ruby did until Cell was finally killed.

How many more would fall before this was all over?

* * *

Watching Beacon Academy crumble to the ground had been difficult for him, but as long as the people survived, he knew that everything would be okay. Cell had been surprising, but expected nonetheless. He had been wondering when that foul creature would make its move. Slimy monsters like that always seemed to pop up when they weren't needed. The kingdom could be rebuilt, and Beacon Academy could thrive once more, but not until these threats had been dealt with.

Professor Ozpin knew this better than anyone.

Standing on a cliff, overlooking the smoking kingdom, he could do nothing but watch as Beacon crumbled to the ground. Years of hard work, memories, bonds and friendships… all collapsing and crumbling in a cloud of smoke and ash. He had no choice but to leave the kingdom, a particular play by Salem had forced his hand. It was something he hadn't been expecting, and it had caught him off-guard. While he had been combating Cinder Fall, another agent of Salem had slipped past his sight.

He had managed to distract Cinder easily, allowing him the opportunity to give chase to the unidentified vigilante, who had managed to steal something important right from under his nose. He had noticed during his fight with Cinder, a flash of silky white had ripped his attention away from the artificial Fall Maiden. The girl could wait for her inevitable punishment, he had more pressing matters to deal with.

The relic had been stolen by an agent of chaos. There was no doubt in his mind that this person was linked to Salem. He had been too focused on dealing with Cinder Fall, and immensely worried about the destruction Cell was causing to foresee an extra piece that Salem had strategically placed on the battlefield. It intrigued him that Salem would bait out her own pawn to get the relic. He had tailed the assailant out of Beacon and towards the outskirts of Vale, where only the distant explosions could be heard.

Ozpin had turned, momentarily rendered breathless at the fight that was taking place in the sky above the remains of Beacon Academy.

He had watched the Emerald Forest shrink and die under the jaw-dropping power that Cell and Gohan had been displaying. Even after the climactic finish, the forest no longer existed, but taking its place was a burning crater of rock and ash. That fight had changed Remnant and would forever shake the foundations of their world. It had almost destroyed Ozpin's view of the world when he had first discovered this energy when Qrow had informed him, but he had managed to maintain a positive outlook. Gohan and Cell however, were two entities that did not belong, and it was obvious of their positioning within the chain of power.

As he mulled over his thoughts, he noticed a dark presence appear behind him. As he turned, he saw a Beowulf Grimm watching him carefully. After a few short moments, its form shifted and changed to a more humanoid figure. His eyes narrowed methodically, as his sworn enemy manifested before him. Salem herself had appeared, but he knew she wouldn't be stupid enough to confront him personally.

No…

This was just an apparition, an image of her. That didn't make her any less real.

"It's beautiful isn't it? The destruction of hope and light," Salem walked up next to Ozpin. Neither had anything to fear. Ozpin knew she was incapable of harming him, his power had far surpassed what she was capable of a long time ago, and she was unable to die, seeing as she was just an illusion of her true self. "I don't think it could get any sweeter."

"Destruction that you were unable to cause on your own. It seems Cell caused more panic and fear than any Grimm you have managed to conjure."

"A trivial point, Ozpin. Chaos, is exactly that. _Chaos_. Regardless who causes it, it benefits me either way."

"You will not win."

Salem merely turned her head, cold crimson orbs glancing towards the silver haired headmaster with a mocking smirk. Ozpin showed no signs of weakness and remained impassive, glaring at her without remorse or mercy. Her very existence was a constant reminder of all the lives he had failed to save. All his mistakes and misdeeds, she embodied every single one of them, and acted as his polar opposite. In all the years they had been fighting, this had been the first real victory Salem had managed to claim.

"It matters not what you think. Winning is merely the first step. I will deal with you eventually, along with your little group of super powered children," Salem muttered bitterly. Ozpin could tell that she was displeased with the fact that there were teenagers on his side capable of wiping her from existence. He took great pleasure in her ire. However, Salem waved him off, a more passive and thoughtful look appearing on her features.

"Cell will not live long enough to pose a threat to me. That abomination has a weaknesses I am able to exploit," Salem's wicked smile sent a cold sensation down the older man's spine. The thick, sweet tone to her voice made him sick. She had eyes and ears everywhere, and it worried him that she was able to find a weakness that Cell had so quickly. "It will not be long before he falls to his destined fate, and my subjects will run rampant across this dying world."

"We have the power to destroy every Grimm you are capable of creating. The only thing keeping us from destroying you is the fact that you are fundamentally, _not mortal_ ," Ozpin growled lowly. "But neither are you immortal. You are something inbetween, and I find it hypocritical that you call Cell an abomination when you are the very definition of the word."

"You wound me with your words, Ozpin. However, you are not wrong," Salem turned to face the man fully. The two stood off, only meters away from each other. Two polar opposites, both light and darkness personified. Years of bloodshed and war between the two and yet, not one of them had been able to gain the upper hand over the other, until now. "The world is changing, and I will be the one to take the reigns. The time of man, is _over_."

"I wouldn't count on it. You are underestimating the power of mankind. The people will never give up, not until the very last man falls."

"You are their leader, Ozpin, and yet your kingdom has fallen to ruin and flame. I wonder what would happen if you were to fall?" Salem wondered, chuckling lowly to herself. To her surprise, the older man laughed, causing her to frown. She glared at him, as he leaned on his cane, his posture and shoulders projecting his unbreakable confidence. In the countless years she had been fighting against this insufferable man, not once had she seen him grovel or display emotional weakness. He was always calm and collected, and that bothered her more than it should have.

"Oh please, I am just one of many. I may be their leader, but I am not the only one capable of leading mankind. I have done so for _many_ years. Perhaps it is time I stepped back and let someone else take the reigns. Someone more capable and _young_ ," Ozpin ranted as he turned back towards the kingdom. He watched as Salem's subjects littered the skies, raining havoc down upon Vale and the remains of Beacon Academy.

"Besides, even if you were to kill me, someone else even stronger, and wiser, would rise up and take my place."

"A ridiculous notion. How could you possibly make a claim like that?"

"I am but a man, Salem. There are many others capable of destroying you. I am but one of them," Ozpin remarked. Salem merely laughed at the absurdity of his claim. Ozpin found no humor in his words, and merely stared impassively at Salem as she wiped the amusement from her eyes. The Grimm queen could not believe the man who had trounced her for years was saying there could be more people capable of destroying her.

"I assume you are talking about that boy, Gohan, am I correct?" Salem smirked. Ozpin showed no emotion or reaction to her words. "Ah… yes, I _do_ know about him. Cinder was kind enough to relay her reports to me after her encounters with him. Yes he is stronger than I, by miles. I would be a fool to fight a _God_ such as him in combat. However, just because his strength is unrivaled, does not mean I will not be able to deal with him when the time comes."

"You are deluding yourself."

"I know he is not of this world, Ozpin."

That information caught him off guard. Salem's cruel eyes glimmering at his surprise. She walked up to the man, brushing past him and walking circles around the man in a taunting fashion. How was it that she had arrived at such a conclusion? He had only found out after various tests and studying the body while he was comatose under his school. All those years had given him the opportunity to understand more about him.

How was it that Salem knew this?

"Did you think I wouldn't notice? Where else can a power like that come from? Mountain Glenn, thirteen years ago… for so long I have been trying to understand what happened there. My precious subjects experienced _fear_ , something they should be incapable of _feeling_ ," Salem grounded out, her tone dark and angry. "The power of _gods_ was something I could not rule out, but found hard to believe."

"I know I am not a match for him, but from today's events, I have seen that even _Gods_ have their weaknesses. He can bleed, he can feel, he can love, and he can hate. I. _Can_. _**Kill**_. _Him_."

"You won't succeed. I will not let you."

Salem laughed as she turned and walked off into the shadows, clearly having had enough of the conversation. However, before the darkness swallowed her, she turned and gave the ex-headmaster of Beacon Academy one more mocking glare. Ozpin did nothing but listen to her chilling words.

"Oh, Ozpin… my victory has already been decided by _fate_."

* * *

His dreams had been plagued by fire and death. The half-Saiyan hadn't had dreams like these since he was a child, running and hiding from the androids. Now witnessing them again, he knew he couldn't stand by and let this torment slow him down like it did so many years ago.

As Gohan slowly awoke from his forced slumber, it became apparent that his body wasn't quite ready for movement. An agonizing cramp in his muscles forced him to remain paralysed in bed for a few short moments before he was able to get up without pain. As he slowly pulled the covers away and placed his feet on the floor, he noticed that his body was comprised of bandages, most of them had been stained by blood.

His body had done a good job recovering from the life threatening damages, but it seemed he had still yet to recover most of his power. He felt frail and weak, almost like a toddler trying to take its first steps. It took a couple of minutes for him to gather his bearings and stand up with the strength he had managed to summon. He quickly made his way to the bathroom and splashed cold water over his face. It felt refreshing and gave him additional strength to move around without difficulty.

He made his way back to the room to find a fresh change of clothes on a seat next to his bed. His battle-scarred ones were sitting on a table opposite his bed. All that remained of the signature orange Gi was the pants. The shirt was nowhere near to be found, and that was probably because it had been vapourized in his his fight against Cell.

There wasn't much he remembered after the clash with Cell, only that he had only just managed to escape with his life intact. A brief stretch of his senses showed him the destruction that Cell had caused, along with various other criminals. Vale was in ruin, and there were only a few dozen energy signatures down there. No doubt they were professional Huntsman doing a clean up job. He turned his attention to those energy signatures still on the Lookout.

He could sense the others, and he was thankful that they all seemed to be in one piece. Their energy flow was consistent and stable, bringing him to sigh in relief. He could almost hear their voices, and it seemed they were deep into a discussion. Qrow, Yang, Blake, Pyrrha and Weiss were all safe and sound. He didn't know how long he had been out, but he suspected that it couldn't have been more than twelve hours.

As he changed himself, he noticed just how badly damaged his body was. At first glance, the bandages didn't at all seem to tell him the extent of the damage, but the more he moved his body, the easier it was to realize that he had gotten lucky. He was fortunate enough not to come out of that fight with a missing limb. He had pushed himself to his absolute maximum and it hadn't been enough to put down the monster. Come to think of it, he didn't even know if Cell survived the explosion!

He remembered that a stray energy blast interfered with the conclusion of his energy struggle with Cell. Whoever had fired the blast had been strong enough to cause the clashing energies to cave in on one another and explode. He thought back to the moment he had noticed it coming, and realized that it had been a familiar energy signature, one he had sensed before. He couldn't put a face to it, and the harder he thought on it, the more frustrated he got.

He decided he needed some air, and to talk to the others. No doubt they all had something to share on the disaster that had just occurred.

He placed a new set of his father's fighting clothes overtop of his bandages. Now that he was awake and moving around, he would heal faster. It was something he came to realize back on Earth in his constant fights with the androids. He had clashed with them so many times that he came out with all sorts of injuries. It seemed that his nature as a Saiyan was adept at healing injuries faster than a normal human would. They were a warrior race after all.

Walking outside the room and making his way down stairs he found the girls and the older man around the entrance, sitting on the steps and the ground, conversing and waiting. Gohan also noticed Qrow, who seemed to be very distant from everyone, standing well away from them, a distant, ghostly look in his eyes. When Gohan appeared from the entrance, the older man immediately turned his head and scoffed.

"Look who's finally decided to join us," Qrow remarked impassively. If his posture and atmosphere didn't already clue the half-Saiyan in, then his emotionless drawl certainly did. Qrow was aware of Ruby's death, and Gohan had absolutely no idea how to comfort the man. He made an internal note that perhaps comfort wasn't what the man needed right now. He could also see the young girl's weapon strapped to his belt. That certainly wasn't doing him any favors, but neither was drinking out of that flask.

"Sorry, must have used more power than I thought," Gohan stated as he walked out, finding a nice pillar to lean against. "How are we all doing?" he asked carefully, his tone low and sympathetic. The first person his eyes drifted to was Yang, and she was trying her best not to meet his eyes. She also shared Qrow's pale look to the point where she looked like she was going to be sick. Blake and Pyrrha on the other hand visibly deflated, the faunus's ears flattening on top of her head while the redhead merely exhaled sadly.

Weiss was the only one who didn't react to his words. She merely sat on the steps, doing an exceptional job of keeping her emotions in check. Gohan had also noticed that her energy was fluctuating more than anyone else here. It seemed she was still getting used to being a Maiden.

"Exactly how you think we're doing," Qrow snapped back, taking another swig of his flask. "Trying to keep moving forward, but finding little reason to keep doing so." the older man sighed as he sat down on the tiles. Gohan couldn't blame the man. The look in his eyes was almost blank, void of any kind of feeling. The man had already lost so much, and to lose Ruby was akin to losing a piece of his soul. Everyone, aside from him, had been attached to Ruby Rose in some kind of way.

He had barely gotten to know her, and from his brief encounters with her, she was a kind, honest soul.

Her death had angered him… reminded him of his constant failures.

But it was nothing he hadn't seen before.

"Did you kill him?" a meek voice asked that came from none other than Pyrrha Nikos. The redhead was looking at him desperately for an answer. He could see that Blake and Weiss were also watching, a hopeful look in their eyes. Yang, once again, didn't even bother to look his way. She was fixed on a certain point on the ground in front of her, an idle finger drawing something on the white surface. Qrow was swirling the contents of his flask, pretending not to listen.

"I don't know," Gohan responded honestly. Blake and Weiss were visibly upset at his response, the latter's hands tightening as she held back tears. "Someone else interfered. That explosion was because someone broke the flow of energy that Cell and I were battling with. I didn't exactly get the opportunity to check if Cell was still alive after the explosion," Gohan finished. The group seemingly had no choice but to accept it.

They didn't know if Cell was dead or alive.

That brought on a wave of uncertainty that was mostly unwelcome.

"That's just… great," Weiss's voice cracked, her emotions pouring through her facade. She struggled to hold back tears, and even went as far as to turn her head away from everybody so she could hide her glaring weakness. Ruby had been someone so special to her, and it was agonizing that she had treated her so poorly for the time that she knew her. Ruby had been nothing but warm and welcoming to her.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Pyrrha mumbled quietly. Gohan merely sighed as he pushed himself off the pillar he was leaning on and made his way over to the steps. He sat down next to the girls and ran a hand through his thick, charcoal hair.

"We fight, and we keep fighting until everyone is safe."

"A fool's errand," Qrow muttered bitterly. Gohan pretended not to hear him. It was clear everyone was hurting, and getting upset at the older huntsman's angry remarks wasn't going to help anyone. Instead, he opted for silence, seeing as no one was very comfortable talking at the moment. It wasn't until a few minutes had passed that Blake had decided to speak up, voicing something that had been on her mind since she made it back to the Lookout.

"Gohan," Blake started. The boy turned to her. "When Ruby was… killed… her body just vanished. You said something about an 'Otherworld'? What is that?" she asked. Gohan gave a hefty sigh as he recalled what Master Roshi had told him about Otherworld. He didn't know much about the place, but he knew that only special cases got to keep their bodies after death. He was also aware that Roshi's sister, Fortuneteller Baba, had the ability to cross in between the land of the living and the dead.

"From what I know, Otherworld is a dimension where the souls of the dead go to after their physical body dies. When the body fades, from what I'm told, it means that the person who died gets to keep their body on the account of someone important requesting them to. It happened to my father the first time, and a couple of my friends," Gohan explained. After another few moments of silence, the blonde of the group turned and looked at Gohan with a confused look.

"First… time?" she asked with a quizzical look on her face. Gohan immediately realized his mistake. In his exhausted state, he had forgotten about the Dragon Balls and their ability to bring back the souls of the dead. He had avoided mentioning them purely since only the Namekian set was left. The Earth set had died when Piccolo died. Telling them would only give them false hope, seeing as there was no plausible way to get to Namek, but if there was one thing that Gohan was, it was the fact that he was no liar.

He decided he would be straight with them. Lying was something he detested.

"My father has died twice," Gohan started. Everyone was now looking at him. Aside from Qrow who already knew of the Dragon Balls. He didn't bother holding up hope about them considering they were on another planet. He wasn't one to hold out on false hope. He preferred to move on and accept things.

"I'm sorry, but… how is that even possible?" Pyrrha asked. There was an uncomfortable silence as Gohan thought about how to answer this question without them getting the wrong idea. Putting himself in their shoes, the idea of the Dragon Balls even existing was ridiculous if not outright absurd. He didn't see a way out of this without explaining what they were and what they could do. Unfortunately, it seemed like he didn't have a choice.

"Where I come from, there is a set of what we called 'Dragon Balls'. They are mystical artefacts capable of granting anyone a wish should they find all seven of them. Each one has stars, representing which ball it is. These wishes are powerful enough to bring the dead back to life," Gohan explained. Immediately Yang's eyes lit up, and that was probably what hurt Gohan the most.

"Well? What are we waiting for, let's go find them!" Yang exclaimed. She was met with silence by Gohan and Qrow. The rest of the girls looked rather skeptical, disbelief clear in their eyes. Yang immediately realized that there was something that wasn't adding up, and the uncomfortable silence by Gohan wasn't something that gave her hope. Her mood dropped as she looked towards Qrow, who was seemingly unaffected by this crazy revelation. "…it's not that easy, is it?"

"I don't know how to tell you this Yang, but those Dragon Balls were tied to my mentor's life. When he died, the Dragon Balls became inert. They don't work anymore, and even if they did, we wouldn't be able to get to them," Gohan elaborated further. The blonde's hands tightened, her knuckles going white. She could feel a familiar sensation of anger starting to bubble inside of her chest.

"Why?!" Yang demanded. Her tone wasn't anger, it was more so of desperation. Everyone could tell she was desperate to get her sister back, regardless of the means to do so. If there was a way to revive Ruby, Yang would be the first one leading the expedition to find the way. However, in their current situation, it was quite literally, impossible.

"Because they're on another planet Yang. The Dragon Balls don't exist here on Remnant," Qrow stated with a scowl that seemed to be permanent. "If they did, the world would be a _much_ different place to what it is now," the older man finished. The moment the words had left his mouth, Gohan felt his stomach drop. He knew he was going to have to tell them sooner or later. Cell had already dropped the hint a few weeks ago when they had met him in Newville town.

"Another planet… what?" Pyrrha stumbled over her own words as her brain tried to make sense of Qrow's words. Blake and Yang turned to Gohan, questionable gazes and a hint of distrust in their eyes. For the first time since they had met him, they truly felt like he was hiding something. Weiss wiped her initial tears and stood up, a knowing look on her face.

"Now this is starting to make some sense," she spoke, looking the Saiyan in the eye. Everything she had experienced in her life so far, from her abusive father, to the Grimm, to the White Fang and Torchwick. All of these evils completely paled in comparison to the one who had laid waste to Vale in a few short hours. Nothing came even close to what happened over in Vale! She could _feel_ that power all the way in the Lookout. It seemed the other girls were starting to make their own conclusions.

"Cell isn't just some criminal, or terrorist. We've established that he's a biomechanical android, but the question that has been bothering me is his origins. Where exactly did he come from Gohan?" Weiss asked, a fierce look in her eyes. Blake's fingers twitched as she looked at the half-Saiyan out of the corner of her eye.

"Come to think of it, Cell seemed to _know_ you when we first encountered him. Why?" the black cat faunus asked softly. She wasn't trying to accuse Gohan of anything here. In fact, he had saved her life, and practically stopped Cell from destroying the world. While Ruby might have died, she was aware that you couldn't save everyone.

Gohan merely exhaled. There was no reason to lie at all. They all deserved to know the truth after what they had just been through.

"I'm from a world called Earth," Gohan started. He suddenly felt very disconnected from all of them, apart from Qrow, who already knew most of his story. "It was a peaceful world for the most part, no Grimm or anything like that, but it had it's own fair share of evils," he explained. Yang just stared at him, unsure of what to think, her emotions commanding her to take various conflicting actions. Qrow kept himself distant, watching the events unfold.

"Why are you telling us this now? After all we've been through, you think now is the time to tell us?" Pyrrha asked incredulously. "This knowledge certainly would have been helpful if we had known beforehand!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing, granted, now it all seemed to make much more sense. No wonder he knew how to use ki so efficiently.

He didn't even grow up on Remnant.

"I'm sorry, it's not like I wanted to keep that information from you. It's just, would you have really believed me if I told you I was from another planet?" Gohan asked seriously. The girls all exchanged questionable looks before returning their gaze to the Saiyan. They realized he had a point, and the fact that he was from another planet was still relatively difficult to believe, despite the proof they had.

"You may have a point there, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that we have been dealing with enemies that don't belong on Remnant. I feel like you should have at least said something," Pyrrha criticized. Gohan would have argued if it would have really made a difference had they known or not, but he didn't really have the heart to point it out after everything he had kept from them.

"I want to know how he got here," Weiss interrupted. Gohan wasn't exactly sure if she meant him, or Cell. Regardless, he'd answer both her questions with a singular explanation.

"Prior to my arrival on Remnant, I was fighting a couple of androids. I had been fighting a losing battle against them for seven years. I finally managed to gain the upper hand against them, and killed them. I turned my attention to the source, where they were created. When I tried to destroy the place, I somehow ended up on Remnant. It seems that Cell managed to tag along with me," Gohan tried to explain. He still wasn't sure on the specifics of it, or how it was even possible for something like that to occur.

"That's what happens when you try to break weird tech. Crazy things happen. Sounds like teleportation if you ask me. That nut-job scientist must have had some kind of backup procedure in case someone tried to blow their stuff up," Qrow drawled. "Considering all the crap we've been through, I wouldn't rule it out."

"That's not exactly the answer I was hoping for," Weiss admitted sourly. Blake rolled her eyes, eager to move on from the topic of teleportation to other worlds.

"That's not important right now," Blake cut in, clearly annoyed at the direction this conversation was taking. "When did you find out that you weren't the only one to appear on Remnant?" she asked, bringing everyone's focus back to the matter at hand. It was a tough question to nail down. The moment he found out was when Qrow told his story about what happened at Mountain Glenn thirteen years ago. Thankfully, it seemed the man was more than willing to share.

"I told him," the drunkard huntsman cut in, drawing the eyes of everyone present. "You see he doesn't exactly remember how he got here, but I remember the exact day that he arrived here. Whether you believe it or not, he's been here for a good thirteen years," Qrow explained as he stood up. He took another swing of his flask before he continued his story. The mans tone left no room for anyone to cut in or ask any questions.

"Gohan's arrival here on Remnant brought those monsters with him. They are the reason why Mountain Glenn fell, and it's also the reason why no one talks about it, because no one but Ozpin and I know the truth. What happened to Vale yesterday was exactly what happened to Mountain Glenn," Qrow explained. This information brought about a whole new wave of negative emotions to cross everyone's faces. They had all been taught previously about the Mountain Glenn disaster, and not once did something like this come up.

"But… we learned that Mountain Glenn's defenses couldn't hold the Grimm. That's what Doctor Oobleck taught us in our history classes!" Pyrrha exclaimed. Qrow's bitter laugh silenced the group. Why were there so many secrets kept from them? Weren't they supposed to be the protectors of humanity's future? How was she supposed to trust these people if what they were teaching her were lies?

"Just like I told Glynda. Misinformation and Lies. The day Mountain Glenn fell was the day Gohan arrived in Remnant. It wasn't pretty," Qrow informed. The hybrid's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white, and an angry scowl appeared on his face. The older man's bitter tone was starting to get on his nerves.

"Thanks for reminding me about something that I have no memory of," Gohan grounded out distastefully. The slick man regarded him briefly, their eyes meeting. Why did it seem like everything was falling apart? Now was not the time for their trust and bonds to break and fall apart. The possibility that there were other threats that existed, along with the idea that Cell might still be alive was horrifying. It wasn't at all comforting that they seemed to be the only ones capable of stopped threats that didn't belong to Remnant.

"Wait…" Yang's voice cut in. The two males turned to her. She looked at Qrow more than Gohan at this moment. "Mom… I mean- Summer. she… she disappeared thirteen years ago. Was she involved in this?" the blonde questioned. Qrow immediately tensed up and all Gohan could do was look helplessly at the ground. He didn't even remember the ordeal. He had no idea what happened to the woman.

Qrow's reaction was more than enough for Yang to come to a conclusion.

"You…" Yang's eyes immediately shifted to blood red as she gazed at Qrow. "You _lied_ to us!" the blonde growled. Qrow met her eyes, and for a brief moment, he thought he was looking into the eyes of his sister. The two seemed so alike in this moment, both emotionally and temperamentally. Yang looked ready to _murder_ him. There had been enough secrets kept from them, and this one seemed to be the last straw for the fiery blonde.

"Look, I had no choice, I-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Yang boomed. Blake, Pyrrha and Weiss actually took a step back from the girl. The murderous look on her face spoke volumes of what she was currently feeling. "You lied to us! You lied to me! You lied to Dad, and most of all, you lied to Ruby! Summer was **everything** to Ruby!" her voice was hoarse and distraught. Her golden blonde hair started to shift to a blazing fire, her eyes starting to glow with crimson flame.

Her emotions had once again pushed her to transform.

"Yang, you need to calm down-" it was fast, and Gohan wasn't expecting to see stars so quickly after he had just woken up. He found himself skidding across the the Lookout on his back. His instincts screamed at him as he rolled just in time to dodge another blow by the enraged blonde. He flipped and landed on his feet just in time to see Yang's form split the ground where he had landed.

"Yang! Stop!" Blake yelled, but it seemed that the blonde's partner could not reach her with words. Once again, Gohan saw the same tunnel vision in her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks, eyes tormented by betrayal. It was apparent that she did not view either himself, or Qrow as allies at this point. She was clouded by the red haze of rage that demanded she fight to kill. That was the most dangerous thing about her, she acted on emotion.

He watched her zip forward with her new found power, intent on attacking and causing harm. He placed himself in a defensive stance, knowing that she was much more powerful than when they sparred previously.

"YOU BROUGHT THEM HERE!" Gohan blocked a blow that could have easily shattered his hand if he hadn't been concentrating his energy. Yang's speed was suddenly decreasing as her aura flashed red. Her wild aura, growing by the second. She was falling back into old habits, forgetting everything she had learned about fighting since meeting Gohan. Swinging her weight around, along with her added power, was a dangerous combo to defend against.

"YOU BROUGHT THAT MONSTER HERE! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" the crippling words forced Gohan into blocking more hits, refusing to fight back. He knew it was his fault, but how could he have known? He didn't remember anything from thirteen years ago, and he had only woken up under Beacon a few weeks prior to the Vytal Festival. If he had known just what kind of threats he had brought to this world, he would have never bothered to involve the girls, or teach them how to use their energy.

" **That's enough!** " Weiss snapped. She zipped forward and wrapped her arms around Yang's waist in an attempt to stop the girl's ruthless onslaught. Weiss knew that her emotions were running high, but there was no need for them to attack each other. The damage had already been done and playing the blame game would only fracture the already fragile trust they had. However, it seemed that her efforts were not proving as effective as she thought, as Yang continued to storm towards Gohan.

"Don't make me freeze you Yang!" the blonde didn't show any signs of listening to her, forcing Weiss act quickly. "Fine, don't say I didn't warn you!"

Weiss channeled what control she had over her Maiden powers. A cone of ice swirled around them, trapping them both in a stand still. From the waist down, both Weiss and Yang were frozen in place. However, a few seconds later, the ice seemed to be melting. It took all of Weiss's willpower to keep the ice cold enough to counter the boiling heat that was radiating off Yang's body.

"Get OFF ME!"

"Your hot headed and emotional! Calm down before you accidentally kill someone you dolt!"

" **I said, GET OFF!** "

Yang's power exploded, the ice shattered like glass and Weiss was thrown backwards. Luckily Pyrrha had caught her before she had injured herself. Weiss's breathing was pained as she felt a burning sensation to her side. She grunted, both in pain and in anger. Yang felt like an unstoppable force, and neither Blake, nor Pyrrha looked like they wanted to get in between the Saiyan, and the enraged blonde.

The golden blonde shot forward towards the teenage half-breed, swinging her leg with the intent to cripple. Gohan easily predicted the attack and blocked it. If he wasn't careful, he might end up hurting her, and the last thing he wanted to do was damage his friend while she was in the middle of an emotional breakdown.

"Yang, you need to stop this now!" Gohan grunted as her attack landed. If she kept going like this, she might actually break his guard. He needed her to stop. Gohan jumped back and straightened up. Yang charged him, her anger piloting her every action. A short, quick transformation into a Super Saiyan gave him the power he needed to withstand her strikes.

Her fist landed right on his chest, but seemingly did no damage. Gohan stood there, clad in a golden light as Yang hammered away at his chest. It was like she was hitting a brick wall, but she didn't care. She needed this, her emotions screamed at her to be released. There was no other outlet other than the person that seemingly was responsible for all the pain she had endured thus far. However, despite all the pain she was feeling, she knew deep down that Gohan was the only reason she was still alive in the first place.

"WHY!?" The hits started to get softer as her attempts to hurt him started to fade away. Everyone just stood and watched as the upset blonde beat against his chest as more tears streamed from her eyes. Eventually her semblance lifted and she just fell right into his arms, exhaustion claiming her form. The boy caught her, powering down as she just shrunk into his embrace like an injured, upset child.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say," Gohan replied softly. Yang remained silent. After a few moments, she uttered a sentence that made Qrow sigh.

"I want to go home."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Okay, I would like to take a moment and say that this story is now longer than 200k words! I never would have thought I would get this far honestly. Longer than anything I've ever written for sure, and it's just going to get longer! That being said, this chapter marks the end of Volume 3 and the first Arc of the story.**

 **Now, onto some of the reviews I got, and there is a lot of them! My goodness you guys were vocal!**

* * *

 **Review Responses:**

 **Jackalope89:**

 **Oh you and your funny words! Honestly after such a dark chapter your review made my beta readers/proof readers and myself crack up laughing! I also need to get round to watching Konosuba, but right now I am watching Game of Thrones! T_T**

 **Lurking Obsidian:**

 **I would hope so! I poured my heart and soul into that chapter to make sure it was the best damn finale I could give to the climax of the first Arc! Fair enough, I know a few people who don't like Ruby. I however, do like her character. She's not my favourite, but she definitely is an enjoyable character to me.**

 **Yes, other characters such as Blake, Pyrrha and Weiss are able to get an evolution to their Semblances. I won't say what they are, but know that in this Alternative Universe of RWBY, characters are able to evolve their Semblances to something more than what they are. Each character's is different and has its own sort of quirks to it. It just so happens that Yang's is sort of like a Super Saiyan because of the nature of her Semblance.**

 **Basically it enhances their Semblance and provides additional powers, surrounding the nature of their Semblance. It's not just a straight up power boost like a Super Saiyan is.**

 **SSJacen35:**

 **Thanks! I'm really glad you liked the chapter! It was meant to be dark, seeing as the story is now taking a more serious route.**

 **Ah… Cinder. Our hateful little power-hungry half-maiden. You would be correct in assuming she survived. I have plans for her and what role she will be fulfilling in this story. Tell me, what DBZ character does she remind you of? A power obsessed villain who wants to be feared and wants to be the strongest? Hmm… sounds awfully familiar to a certain angry, spiky haired Saiyan…**

 **Oh! You like Yang's new form! Fantastic, I can't claim to be the one to help me come up with it though. I had help from my beta readers. You are pretty spot on about its name, seeing as it's based on a Phoenix. Her mother's name is Raven, clearly relating to the bird. Her Uncle is Qrow, a play on Crow, another bird. Taiyang calls her a Sunny little Dragon… basically a reptilian bird, sort of. I felt like it was the perfect fit for her. The power of a Phoenix.**

 **Who's stronger, Cell or Gohan right now? Hmm… that's a rather difficult question to answer. I would say Cell, having a slight edge over Gohan. They are pretty much equal at the moment in my eyes. I know that might not make much sense considering the scaling I've been sticking to throughout this story, but the fight was supposed to show that they are even. Perfect Cell would wreck Gohan with his current strength. There would be no contest. Cell was slightly weakened from Ruby's attack and Yang's assault.**

 **Remember, Cell has Saiyan cells inside of him, along with Freeza's. He's incredibly arrogant when he thinks he's in control. Not only that, but Yang, Blake and Pyrrha interest him a lot. There's a reason he hasn't just killed them.**

 **ZENxRaider23:**

 **Ruby's fate was decided from the beginning. When I posted chapter one, I had already written Ruby dying to Cell. However, that does not mean her story ends there. This is Dragon Ball! What is death but the start of another journey!? I won't spoil anything, but you guys are in for a few surprises soon!**

 **Now, Cell's power. Where does he stand currently in terms of strength, compared to his canon counterpart? Honestly, it would hard for me to say without pissing off a lot of people. Due to the nature that his evolution and growth was screwed up early, he had to resort to a lot of extreme means to sustain himself as he grew. Absorbing dust and praying on weak humans to help himself grow to eventually his imperfect state.**

 **Newville Town was his first large scale attack. He had been praying on bandits and weakened huntsman to fuel his evolution. However, now he is strong enough to be a serious threat. I would say he is beyond what his second form was in canon. Gohan has gotten a bit stronger since he came to Remnant, remember he has been training with Blake, Pyrrha and Yang. His power would have grown a little bit since his arrival.**

 **Gohan (Mastered Super Saiyan) basically Super Vegeta level, and Semi-Perfect Cell is Super Vegeta level. I guess that's the best I can come up with.**

 **I toyed with the idea of giving Cell access to Maiden powers, and so far, I haven't ruled it out. Maybe Cell just hasn't realized he's capable of harnessing those mystical forces yet? Who knows. It will be while before Cell get's his perfect form, but when he does, I promise you I will do it justice. Everyone on Remnant will know when Cell achieves his perfection.**

 **The reveal. Well, it happened. I hope I did it justice. I also hope that it wasn't cliche. I'm trying to subvert cliches here. I don't know how well I'm doing.**

 **Don (Guest):**

 **I think you might be right in some regards. When I first started this story, I was so worried about balancing the crazy power scaling that is DBZ to fit RWBY. I tried to bring up a few RWBY characters who have learned how to use their energy, but you might be right with the inflation bit. I've tried so hard to fix it, I might have broken it again. I mean, I'll accept that, and when I come to write my next story, I'll try better next time, but as of right now, I'm in far to deep to go and change shit now.**

 **I don't see a possible way to have the two crossovers work without massively inflating RWBY, or majorly nerfing DBZ. That being said, if you're going for a cheesy romance story, the power scaling wouldn't really matter that much because it wouldn't be a focal point of the story. However, I have tried my best to try and make it seem fair, and I feel like I've done an okay job on that front.**

 **It is my first attempt at a DBZ crossover, so it's not all going to be perfect. I'll try and work on showing more than telling.**

* * *

 **Alrighty guys, I don't want to inflate the chapter any longer with stuff that some of you might not even read, so I'm just going to cut it here. There are a lot of reviews, and not all of them I can answer in a single chapter. If you have questions that you want answered, don't be afraid to PM me and I'll try and answer to the best of my ability (without spoiling anything).**

 **Until next time guys.**


	11. The Path to Vengeance

**A/N:**

 **Aye guys, it's been awhile. I've been busy with life, as well as planning other projects e.g. Fanfiction stories and original work. I have a few things to say about the development of this story that will be changing as of this chapter.**

 **Firstly, chapter length. When I started this story, I told myself I wasn't going to post chapters under 10k. That quickly evolved into 20k, and to be quite honest, that is an absurd chapter length to keep to in a certain time frame. That's why these chapters take so long. They are too long to edit and put together. From now on, chapters will be a little more than 10k, 14k being the absolute maximum I am willing to post. This is so I can easily edit with dmoose18 ( thank god, it's tiring as hell) and it's less to read for my beta readers. Hopefully, this means faster updates. I'm trying to have this story finished before the end of the year, but that still seems unlikely. Hopefully by February next year, this story will be finished.**

* * *

 _Chapter Eleven: The Path to Vengeance_

How far had she fallen?

Cinder Fall found herself sitting alone in an Inn not too far off Mistral. She sat alone in the corner with a few glasses in front of her. She had the lien, it wasn't like she was broke, but she was _broken_. Everything had gone wrong for her. Grimm hunted her relentlessly, like Salem was insisting that she just give up and die. However, she was more powerful than the Grimm Mistress gave her credit for. She still had half of the Maiden's powers, and that alone made her dangerous to any Grimm or regular huntsman.

To people like Gohan and Cell?

Nothing more than a spec of dust on a table.

Her messy raven black hair, molten colored eyes and tattered red dress spoke volumes of what she had just been through to get here. It was a small town, nothing too special. The security in each town and been upped significantly after the revelation of Cell. The monster had wiped a few dozen small towns all over Remnant off the map.

So here she sat, contemplating her next move. She had no master, no friends… no one to look out for her. Mercury and Emerald were nowhere to be found and disappeared shortly after she had descended into Beacon's vault to steal the rest of the Maiden's powers. Everything had gone so horribly wrong in such a short time, she was still in disbelief that she was living this life now. She should be back with Salem, with the full arsenal of the Fall Maidens power at her disposal… but now?

Well… she looked like a washed up huntress.

Her hands tightened around the glass, tight enough for her to almost shatter it outright. It was embarrassing! Anyone who knew her would tell her she looked pathetic sitting here all alone, a couple of stray males passing her by giving her knowing winks. She looked like a tramp. She felt like one too! Salem had used her, and once she had told Qrow what she knew, she was tossed aside like garbage.

The words of Qrow Branwen had stuck to her like a parasite, continuing to eat away at her conscious. She quickly lifted her glass to her lips, downing another shot in the hopes of drowning her own self-pity. She would laugh if she could remember how. Her head fell into her hands as she set the shot glass down on the table. Her hair fell over her eyes as she attempted to rub the wetness that was starting to drip down her cheeks.

Her dreams crumbled around her, and she had no way of stopping it.

Someone sat down opposite of her. Cinder couldn't even bring herself to lift her head. The figure across from her gave a mocking chuckle. A growl gurgled in the fiery woman's throat. This person dares to mock her? She would pay dearly for her insolence-

Oh.

" _Oh, come on…_ " Cinder growled as she looked at the female across from her. Said woman placed a white mask on the table in front of them. Sure enough, it was the sister of the man who had humiliated her on the day that Beacon had fallen.

"You look pathetic," Raven's words echoed throughout Cinder's head. Siblings must think alike, it was the exact words Qrow had said to her when she was chained to that blasted lamp post. Cinder's glassy molten eyes glared at Raven's crimson red ones. She was even more brutal that her brother, and… less _forgiving_. She had come across many unfortunate souls to have encountered this woman while she served Salem. She was… _ruthless_.

"Spare me your wasted thoughts _Raven_. You're disgusting brother has already made that very clear," Cinder spat venomously. The armored woman wore a mocking smirk on her face. It was almost impossible to tell what she was thinking, and her eyes portrayed nothing but amusement. All Cinder could do was wait for the woman to respond.

"I could kill you right now," Raven stated off-handedly. Cinder scoffed, brushing the black curtains of hair that covered her eyes to the side. The threat of death felt unwarranted and almost laughable. As terrifying as Raven was, there were bigger threats in the world now. Cinder wasn't an optimistic. If Cell won in the end, everyone would die. Hopefully she'd have a front row seat when the world burned.

"You'd be doing me a favour. I have nothing left to live for," she replied with a bitter laugh. Raven tilted her head slightly, a curious look crossing her face.

"Then I suppose you wouldn't want to hear what I have to offer you?" the red eyed woman said with a mysterious smile. Cinder merely looked at the woman, trying to read what the woman was planning. Unfortunately, the alcohol made it especially hard to do so.

"Speak," Cinder growled. Something poked her stomach. Looking down she saw a crimson sword positioned, ready to impale her should she say something wrong. Raven really was the type of woman to kill someone if she was pushed far enough. She had to remember the kind of warnings Salem had given her back when she was under her guidance.

"I don't think you're in a very good position for giving me orders, girl," Raven growled. Cinder swallowed hard in her drunken haze. She knew she didn't fear death now that she practically had nothing left to live for. So… why did that crimson sword sent chilling feelings down her spine, as if her life hanged by a thread?

"What do you want?" Cinder grounded out. Raven chuckled at the venom in the amber eyed failure before her.

"Good girl," Cinder growled a little bit as the sword retreated from her stomach. "I want you to come and work _with_ me. You have information on Salem, and what she wants. Salem has something very dear to me, and I need help to get it back," Raven stated with a sweet smile. Cinder felt a sick feeling churning in her stomach. Whether or not it was the alcohol was something she could think about later, but Raven's voice made it seem like she didn't have a choice.

"What's in it for me?" she asked hesitantly. Raven merely laughed.

"What's in it for you? Well, your life for starters. I'm honestly astounded you would have the gall to ask me that after I just threatened to kill you. Really, is your life not payment enough?" she questioned, fingers twitching as she stroked the handle of her sword. Cinder allowed herself to lean backwards in her seat, straightening her back against the chair she sat in.

"You need my help," Cinder started. Raven's eyes narrowed. "My life is something I already have. Sure, you can kill me now, and I wouldn't bother to stop you, but I'm your best lead on Salem, aren't I? You'd be throwing away your one chance to get ahead of the witch," she waved one of her hands dismissively. "I'll help you, but you have to offer me something more valuable than my own life."

Raven smirked as she held up a hand. A ball of pure yellow energy made itself known in the palm of her hand. Cinder's eyes widened as the ball of energy hummed quietly in her palm. This was the same kind of power she saw Cell and that boy use… what was it? She didn't know, but she certainly wanted to know now.

"How about… power, beyond your wildest imagination." Raven chuckled.

* * *

Yang had since retreated back into the Lookout to grab her things. She was prepared to head home back to Patch. Qrow had given her Crescent Rose to take home with her. It belonged to the family now that Ruby was gone. Qrow knew he couldn't keep the weapon, it wasn't right. Besides, Yang wouldn't let him keep it, seeing as she believed the weapon belonged back home.

"If there was a way," Qrow started as he stood next to Gohan on the edge of the Lookout. He looked a bit better, not as pale as he did a few hours ago. The rest of the girls were sitting and chatting on the Lookout. It seems that they were talking about what they were going to do next. "If we could get to this… Namek," Qrow spoke, but Gohan decided to stop him there.

"Even if we had the capability to go to space, I wouldn't even know where to start. I don't know the coordinates of the planet, nor do I actually know where it is. I was so young when I went there, and I spent most of my time on the ship training with my father's friend Krillin. I'm sorry Qrow, but the chances are second to none," Gohan responded in a quiet tone. The man slumped his shoulders.

"Yeah… should have thought so," Qrow muttered. He turned around and walked off back over to the girls. It seemed that with Ozpin's disappearance he would have to take over training Weiss on how to use and control her powers. Gohan wasn't even sure if he knew where to start. The old drunkard seemed barely capable enough to keep himself sober. How was that man going to train Weiss in his state?

At that moment, Yang walked out and towards the edge of the Lookout. She had a small backpack with what stuff she had, and clipped to her side was Crescent Rose. The look in her eyes was almost chilling. He found it hard to look at her like that. She seemed so down after her little outburst. He needed to fix this. She had lost someone important, but he could be there for her.

Unlike when all of his friends died, he had no shoulder to cry on. He had no time to mourn their loss. He had to get up the next day and train. He had to make sure he was strong enough to destroy the ones responsible, so mourning the loss of his friends was something he didn't have time to do. But this? This was different.

Yang was different. She hadn't experienced something like this before. All her life she had grown up with a family, father that cared for her everyday, a sister that loved and adored her to bits. It was hard to see Yang so broken. The day he had met her, even though she was trying to knock his teeth in, she had a fire in her eyes, and that light only seemed to grow brighter by the day.

Now, it was barely visible.

"Yang…"

"Don't," she stopped him. Her head turned to him, their eyes meet. An ocean of pain and misery reflected in her eyes. Gohan could see it, how could he not? Yang was his first and possibly his best friend. He would be lying if he admitted that just ended there. This girl had left such an impression on him that sometimes he found it hard to not think about her.

"Someone's got to go and tell Dad. If _Qrow_ won't do it, then I will," Yang spoke. The lack of the term 'uncle' almost made the Saiyan cringe. Her faith him and her uncle must have really shattered badly, but still, he couldn't let her go through this alone. She needed someone that had experienced this to help her through this.

"I'll come with you then," he shot back. Yang scowled at him.

"I'd prefer that you didn't," Yang grounded out. Gohan refused to look away. He knew what kind of pain she was going through. It wasn't easy, and he understood that if she isolated herself, she would crack, and she would never recover from this. That wasn't the kind of girl she was, but slowly, she would become that if she didn't have the support she needed.

"I know it hurts. I've _been_ there Yang. I lost everyone I cared about. All my friends… my father, my mentor. They are all dead Yang, and I was the only one left standing. The only people I had left was my mother, and my father's friend Bulma. They weren't fighters, they couldn't-"

"I don't want to hear it Gohan!" she snapped violently. Gohan closed his mouth, deciding not to push the girl any further. A mixture of emotions flooded her face. Yang grit her teeth and blinked the tears away. She promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore. She promised herself she would be strong. She had to be. First it was Raven, then it was Summer… and now Ruby was just another name to the list of people that had left her, willingly or not.

"I just want to help," the human Saiyan said softly. It was becoming increasingly obvious that he wasn't good with this kind of thing, but it seemed that whatever he said to her, his words bounced harmlessly off her cold exterior. Her mind had closed, he couldn't even feel her warm energy anymore. Her energy almost felt foreign to him, as if he had never sensed it in his life.

"I don't want your help," Yang muttered. She took one more step towards the edge of the Lookout. A small tear rolled down her cheek, one that she had let slip by accident. She scolded herself for it. There had been enough tears shedded already.

"Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like If I hadn't met you," the blonde choked up. Gohan froze, a horrible feeling creeping up his spine. She wasn't about to say what he thought she was going to say right?

"Now I wish I hadn't," she finished. In that moment, Gohan's heart took a dive into the cold ocean of endless guilt. He couldn't blame her. It was his fault Cell and possibly other Androids were walking Remnant. He found it hard to place the blame on anyone else but him. If he hadn't… but how could he have possibly know this all would have happened?

"I'm sorry," Gohan replied softly. Yang turned away.

"Sorry won't bring Ruby back," the cold blonde muttered before diving off the Lookout and down through the clouds. Gohan watched as she did so, his heart sinking as her form fell towards the earth like a falling angel. Nothing tore his heart more than this guilt. A hand landed on his shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"She doesn't mean it," the icy heiress stated. Weiss had come over at just the right time to hear what Yang had said before she took off. "Yang's hurting badly. She's just angry at the world. She'll cool down. Ruby's death has no doubt affected all of us… but she was almost everything to Yang," Weiss explained. Gohan could only look down.

"She seemed to mean those words pretty well to me," Gohan sighed. Weiss just sighed depressively.

"I'd like to think I've known Yang for quite a while. She's an emotional rollercoaster sometimes. Trust me when I say that she'll cool down and come back and apologize. You didn't kill Ruby, none of us blame you. Cell killed Ruby, he's responsible. Just remember that," Weiss finished before she turned and walked back to Qrow.

"I'd give her some space. We all need to prepare for what's coming, and I'm not about to sit around and cry because Ruby's not here anymore. I'm going to get payback, and I'm sure Yang will to," Weiss stated as she walked away. "She's hot headed, like I said. She'll come to see that it wasn't your fault," Weiss finished. She walked off back to Qrow, she needed to continue with her training. Learning how to control these new powers of hers wasn't going to be easy.

Especially with a drunk like him.

* * *

Three days had passed.

The world was slowly recovering from the horrible events that had taken place almost a week before. The Vytal Festival would forever be tainted in time, where people remembered what had happened to Vale. The day it fell, and the day the monster Cell revealed his cruel, terrifying nature to the world. The festival would never be the same ever again.

Yang Xiao Long had returned home to inform her father of the fate that had unfortunately befallen his youngest daughter. It was an emotional reunion, but at least the two had each other. Taiyang had not taken it well at all. In fact, his reaction made Yang's seem justified. The man couldn't cope with the loss and broke down. He declared his desire for vengeance and retribution, no matter the cost. However, the heat of that declaration wore off after a few days and was replaced by cold, bitter emptiness.

He and Yang had locked Ruby's room to preserve the memories of her. All her interests, her hobbies and personal favourite items were in that room, and neither of them could bear to take a step into the room without being overcome with guilt and depression. For the second time in years, their family felt like it was missing a vital important piece, and this one would seemingly stay lost forever.

The little corgi Zwei, would scratch at Ruby's door, wanting to go in and lie down on the girl's bed. His moans and whining would alert Yang that he wanted to go inside, but the blonde refused to open the door. Zwei knew that something bad had happened, and despite him not understanding, he learned that Ruby's room was now off-limits.

A stone grave had been built by Summer's one on the cliff-side. Yang would stand for hours on end at the tomb stones. The more she looked, the more she was reminded that her family was slowly falling apart. Two honest, innocent souls that had been taken from this world far too early. Nothing made Yang more angry than the idea that there were still people out there that would gladly take lives like Cell had. What god-given right did they have to crush innocent lives like they were cheap toys for amusement?

The blonde brawler spent most of her time in her room, looking at the ceiling with an impassive gaze. Her mind replaying the events of Ruby's death. Her explosion of power that she still didn't quite understand, or know how to control. Cell had an indescribable amount of power, but yet she had managed to match him for at least a short while. Enough for Gohan to gather his energy back and finally combat the green menace. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

Gohan.

He had _lied_ to her.

Well, he hadn't lied. He had been dishonest with her. She didn't really know how to describe it. She had never really asked where he had come from. She never figured that he had anything to do with Cell. When they first encountered him, the bio-mechanical Android seemed to recognise him. It was the first hint that she got, that perhaps Gohan wasn't the boy she thought he was.

It was the small things Cell had said that day that she decided to push into the back of her mind. Villain speech… he was trying to throw them off their game, trying to catch them off guard. She didn't know there was actually any merit to what the creature had said. Gohan wasn't from Remnant, and neither was Cell. That was the undeniable truth, and she felt like a fool for not seeing it sooner!

So when he came clean about where he had come from, she blamed him for everything that had happened up until this point. For every word that exited his mouth, her anger grew. She exploited his link to the green Android, and used it as an outlet for her raging emotions. The moment she met the boy, she knew there was something strange about him, but she ignored it. He was cool, he made her laugh and he taught her things she never knew was even possible. He had opened her eyes to a world she didn't even know had existed!

However, before she even realized what had happened, she found herself drowning in a responsibility she never asked for. Everything had come and gone so fast, and it baffled her that over a month ago, she was worried about which Dust shop Roman Torchwick was going to steal from, or the fact that Blake was obsessing to much over the White Fang. The little things seemed so big back then, but now…?

The world around her felt like a pane of glass, that could shatter at any moment. She had sensed the gut-churning power that Cell had, and she knew he could easily destroy any kingdom he desired to attack. How could they face something like that? Why was all of this happening?

Why had it all come to this?

Her thoughts drifted once again to Gohan, her parting words with him had been brutal. Every word she uttered was done with the intent to hurt him. In that moment, she truly hated him. Whatever he had done, he had brought these unkillable monsters to her home. She took _pleasure_ in watching his eyes reflect the shattering of his heart. All the pain she was feeling, she wanted him to know how it felt. After having some time to cool down, she felt sick that she had done _any_ of that in the first place.

She knew she was hot-headed, but she had never let her emotions drive her so badly before.

" _He didn't deserve that. It wasn't his fault,_ " her thoughts echoed and bounced around madly in her head. She knew it to be true. The whole time she had known the boy, she knew he wasn't capable of bringing those monsters to this world on purpose. She was just angry, and she needed an outlet. It just so happened that he was involved in all of this.

So she used him.

She pinned him up to a wall in her mind and threw darts of anger and guilt at him until he was nothing but broken pieces.

A lump of disgust formed in her throat, the urge to vomit had never been stronger.

How could she honestly blame the one boy who had tried his best to keep them safe, train them and stand by their side when everything went south? How could she have possibly stood there and told him that he was responsible for Ruby's death and all those innocent people that had been unfortunate enough to fall victim to Cell's horrific desires? The more her feelings clashed together like this, the sicker felt felt!

One of her hands drifted up to her chest, clutching her throbbing heart as fresh prickled her eyes. Using her other arm, she pulled the sheets of her bed over herself and tried her best to clear her mind. However, that proved to be more or less, impossible.

Her heart burned like the sun, her desire to return to the Lookout and apologize to Gohan was immense. She wanted to be closer to him more than ever right now, and he hadn't even come by to talk to her. She had no idea if she had destroyed that relationship with him or not. She regretted every word. She didn't want their relationship to crumble like that. Her rash, impulsive nature to follow her emotions had led into a pit she desperately wanted to get out of.

She had been unstable. Granted she still was, but now she had time to think. She had time to properly mourn Ruby's death. Regardless of whether or not she was in this Otherworld place, it didn't matter because there was no way she could come back. There was no way they could bring her back. The idea was hard enough for her to swallow, but thinking about it more brought more pain than she would have liked.

" _Go apologize to him,_ " she thought to herself. As much as she told herself to do it, her body refused to acknowledge what she truly wanted. She remained on her bed. She could hear her father down stairs watching news reports on what had happened in Vale. She knew it wasn't good for his health, but he refused to watch anything else. Stubbornness ran in the family like water in a river.

" _Come on Yang, stop being so stubborn! Just fly back to the Lookout and say you're sorry. It's not that hard!_ " It was hopeless. No matter what she told herself, her body just refused to move from her room. She often would move outside to train, but it was unmotivated and lazy. She couldn't understand why!

She should be more motivated than ever! Cell had killed Ruby, so why… why was she not training her ass off to get better? Why wasn't she improving herself so that she could one day face Cell on an even ground, and get payback for Ruby? It was something she couldn't wrap her mind around. It was infuriating. It was like she couldn't understand her own thoughts.

She got up from her bed and walked down stairs. Before her father could even question where she was going, she was already out the door and going for a walk in the forest to visit the graves. She felt rather calm there for a reason she couldn't understand. She was never one to talk to the dead, feeling like it stopped people from moving on. Ruby always seemed to do it for Summer, and she stated it brought her peace and happiness.

Ruby had said that it was calming, in the idea that maybe Summer could possibly hear her.

Yang couldn't find it within herself to tell her younger sister that she was being a child. Not after she learned that her father did the same thing.

She didn't fly, she didn't run. She just walked through the autumn forests of Patch. For every tree she past, a memory surfaced of both her and Ruby running through the forest when they were just kids. Playing tag, or any other happy memory that brought Yang peace of mind.

It didn't take long to reach the two graves. For every time that she made her way here for the past three to four days, she witnessed these memories. It forced a smirk on her face, a light smile that momentarily brought that heavy weight off her heart. Then they would disappear, like the phantoms they were when she reached their graves.

"Hey Ruby… mom… I'm never one for doing this, this was more your thing Ruby… ha… ha," the laugh was weak and kind of forced. A frown appeared on the blonde girl's face as she stared at the face more seriously. She wasn't one for believing that they could really hear her. In fact, she told Ruby it was stupid to talk to graves, but the red-hooded girl had ignored her.

"Guess the joke's on me now… this does make a difference. I know you two probably can't hear me, but I feel more at peace know that maybe; just maybe… you can," Yang stated honestly, remembering her late sister's words. Unsurprisingly, the two graves were silent.

"I said some pretty awful things to Gohan that I really regret saying, and now… I'm scared. I'm scared that I've destroyed my relationship with him. I don't know what to do. I don't want him… I don't- I just," Yang struggled with her words. Taiyang found his way to the edge of the treeline. He watched as his daughter struggled with her emotions.

"I know he didn't cause this. Some part of me want's to blame him, but another part of me knows that all he wanted to do was help. It's not his fault, I know that now…" Yang stated. She bit down as she clenched her eyes shut. "So why… why is it so hard to accept that!? I need help, I want him here with me but I don't. I'm confused…" Yang dropped to her knees as the graves remained silent.

" _Why did this all have to happen? It's not fair…_ " Yang cried silently. A pair of arms wrapped around her as Taiyang embraced his grieving daughter. He had been through grief before, and this was nothing new to him, but it still hurt more than anything that Ruby was gone. It was so incredibly hard to accept the fact that she was gone.

The road to recovery wasn't getting any easier.

* * *

Two girls were locked in a silent standoff. A calm, foreboding wind blew past them, lifting the dangling strands of hair that dropped below their shoulders. Red and black, locked in combat stances, waiting for the other to make the first move. They were unarmed, but that didn't make them any less dangerous considering the power they already had.

Their muscles tense and their bodies drenched in sweat, they had been fighting for hours and they both knew that if they continued, they would collapse from exhaustion. The foundations of their stamina were being tested and pushed to its limits. The score between them was even, so whoever won this bout would take the lead once again. However, it was rather clear who was going to win this engagement.

Blake knew this as well as Pyrrha.

Leaning forward and exploding out of her combat stance at blinding speed, Blake shot forward to attack her guarded opponent. She spun, swinging her leg in a wide arc, before slamming it into Pyrrha's side. The armored girl managed to lift her forearm to block the attack. The force behind the kick managed to shake the Lookout. Pyrrha grunted as she pushed Blake off, forcing the cat faunus to flip backwards and retreat.

Pyrrha suddenly shot forward with her own attack strategy in mind, firing off an energy blast to begin with. Blake quickly back-handed the oncoming blast, sending it off into the sky. It exploded above them, casting a golden glow over the Lookout. Pyrrha quickly closed the distance between the two, throwing various attacks towards her opponent, forcing her into a defensive retreat. Blake decided to speed up the battle, phasing out of the amazon's attacks, leaving an after image behind.

Growling in annoyance, Pyrrha quickly disappeared to follow after Blake. The two girls zipped into the sky, exchanging blows faster than any normal eye could see. However, a particular onlooker was easily keeping up, with an impressed look on his face. It had only been two weeks, yet the girls had already improved this much. In addition to their power growing at an incredible pace, their combat prowess to battles of this intensity was starting to develop.

"Excellent work you two! Keep it up!" Gohan exclaimed towards the two red and black blurs in the sky. Neither stopped to recognize his words, but instead upped their pace even more. "Don't let exhaustion cloud your senses!"

Once again, the two blurs collided and reappeared in view. Floating in the air, Blake and Pyrrha were locked in a mercy battle, their hands interlocked. Static electricity started to appear around them as their power clashed and fought for dominance. Pushing against each other, Gohan watched in anticipation as to who would come out on top. Pyrrha had started off having the edge over Blake, but the dark haired girl closed that gap almost instantly. She was a very fast learner.

Their arms twisted and pushed against each other as the two started to use their knees and legs in unison. The half-Saiyan chuckled to himself as he watched with a bit of nostalgia as the two fought it out in the sky. It reminded him of his dad and Piccolo when his dad arrived back from Namek. Before his father came down with the heart virus, he would often see his father engage his Namekian mentor in similar bouts. In the situation now, it was almost a battle of will.

"I can't understand how people can fight like that," a new voice interrupted Gohan's thoughts. He turned around, a small smile gracing his face as a familiar white haired girl walked and stood by his side. She crossed her arms and looked up into the sky with a impassive frown on her face. "It just seems so barbaric."

"You'd be surprised Weiss. Sometimes fighting with what only your body can do is better than fighting with a weapon," Gohan stated as the girls in the sky started to power up, their clash coming to a climatic conclusion. Red aura mixed with a dark purple as the two girls roared with such ferocity that the tiles on the Lookout below them started to shake and crack. "You know what your body is capable of, and what it can take. You can never know when a weapon would fail you, break or otherwise."

She looked down, staring straight ahead absently as she contemplated his words.

"I guess you have a point there. I've just been conditioned my entire life to learn to fight with a weapon. I was taught that without one, you are defenseless," Weiss sighed as she ran a hand through her ever-growing snow white hair. "Although, that ideology of mine has been challenged at practically every turn as of the last few weeks. This strange energy power that everyone seems to possess along with this… _maiden_ power I now have. It's like I've fallen down the rabbit hole into some fairy tale."

"Life starts to feel like that after a while, doesn't it?" Gohan chuckled lightly. He and Weiss turned their attention to the two girls in the sky. They were just in time to witness Blake rear back her head before slamming it into Pyrrha's. The amazon screamed in pain as Blake quickly broke the mercy lock and planted her foot in her opponent's stomach, winding Pyrrha. The cat faunus quickly sped behind Pyrrha while her guard was broken, nailing the girl square in the back and sending her barreling toward the ground. She impacted hard and bounced a few times before coming to a stop.

Blake landed a few meters away from the downed girl, her breathing labored and her body begging for rest. However, she could ignore it; she had learned how to do so in the first few days. Blake could feel that her body still had energy left in it, and her limits had not yet been completely pushed beyond what she was capable of. A smirk curled on her lips as Pyrrha groaned, trying to push herself to her feet but failing horribly.

"Not quite so easy to fight somebody without a weapon to manipulate with your semblance, is it Pyrrha?" Blake goaded with an amused look on her face. The red head slowly pushed herself to her knees, but comically flopped onto her back them moment she was upright. She let out an aggravated scream, her arms flailing and hitting the ground around her in frustration.

"I'm so used to falling back onto my semblance the moment my opponent catches me in a tough spot! Honestly, I've never had an equal that fights without a weapon! Even when I went up against Yang in academy matches I was able to control her weapon because of what they were made of!" Pyrrha groaned in frustration. The rise and fall of the amazon's chest indicated how tired she was. Gohan had to admit it was rather humorous to watch her complain about her undeniable weakness.

"Well, it's like I've said before. You need to stop relying on your semblance to save you. If you rely on it too much, what happens when the time comes that it fails you?" Gohan asked. Pyrrha groaned louder, rolling her eyes in the process as she actually managed to sit up. Her red hair fell over her face, forcing her to blow it out of her eyes.

"Old habits are hard to break. Never really had a reason to change the way I fought before. Not until going up against Cell. My semblance is useless against an opponent that doesn't wear armor, or use a weapon," Pyrrha retorted sourly. Weiss could agree with that. She still had yet to actually face the monster at all, however she was reluctant to given what her friends had gained from their encounters. Blake and Yang almost died. Ruby was murdered by the creature, and none of them, save Gohan, were able to put a scratch on him.

"I'm still getting used to fighting _without_ a weapon. I'm an amatuer when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. I fight best with Myrtenaster," Weiss stated, crossing her arms. Blake sighed as she sat down on the ground to stretch from the bout she had with Pyrrha. She knew it wouldn't be long before Gohan had them going at it again. She found meditating while stretching allowed her to regain her energy much quicker.

"I can't imagine you using your fists to fight, princess," Blake mocked lightly. Weiss huffed as she walked over and placed a hand against Blake's back. A chilling feeling washed over Blake as she felt her body temperature drop several degrees. She started shivering as she tried to turn and knock Weiss's arm away. "H-H-Hey! C-C-Cut it o-o-out!"

"You look cold," Weiss laughed evilly, retracting her hand. "Does kitty want a blanky?"

"You are _so_ dead."

"Okay!" Gohan interrupted standing between the two to stop the inevitable fight that was going to break out. Emotions between Weiss and Blake had been all over the place since Yang had left, and it didn't help that Ruby wasn't around to balance them out. Gohan could never tell if the two were genuinely joking or reading to jump and strange each other to death. "Let's not do this now, alright?"

"I demand penance," Blake stated causing Weiss's mouth to drop open comically.

"Y-You started it!"

"How about you give Weiss some pointers on martial arts? I'm sure that would be a better use of your time," Gohan suggested. Blake thought for a moment while Weiss spluttered and tripped over her words at Gohan's insane suggestion for Blake to teach her how to fight with her hands. The cat faunus then grinned and shrugged.

"Sure, if the princess can handle it," Blake replied drawing Weiss's eye. The snow white girl growled, her hubris having been prodded by her teammate. However, before she could come up with a snarky reply to Blake, she noted Pyrrha's absent gaze. Her head was rested on her arm as she looked off into the distance. She didn't even seem to be paying attention to what everyone was saying.

"Pyrrha, are you okay?"

Attention was drawn to the red head before she could even come up with anything to say. She sighed and managed to push herself to her feet. Blake could tell what the girl was thinking. Whenever the both of them fought, she could always tell that Pyrrha's mind would occasionally wander when the girl got sloppy with her attacks. She was distracted, and Blake could easily understand why. Her team was still down below, on the outskirts of Vale aiding the others in the retaking of the city.

Thousands of Grimm had taken up refuge in the broken ruins. Old and ancient Grimm that some huntsmen had never even seen before. It made the efforts in retaking the kingdom very risky and slow. However, Jaune, Ren and Nora had all willing stayed behind with the other groups of students in an effort to take back their home. However, another reason was they knew where Pyrrha was, and they didn't want to leave her to go to Haven.

"I'm… to be quite honest, I'm not."

"What's wrong?" Gohan asked carefully. Another sigh escaped her lips as she turned to the orange clad teen with a depressed look on her face.

"I feel like I should be with my team. I know getting stronger is almost necessary at this point in case we run into Cell, but it doesn't feel right to be away from my team for so long. I don't think I can stay here any longer," Pyrrha explained, one her hands rubbed the back of her neck in a guilty fashion. She didn't have the heart to meet the boy's gaze. Blake and Weiss turned to Gohan who had a understanding look, but at the same time, they could see a storm of emotions arise in his eyes.

"If you feel that way, then you should go and be with them," Gohan gave her a friendly smile. Pyrrha looked up and felt a weight disappear off her shoulders. "I know Cell might be still alive, and we are all preparing for the worst, but you won't be able to better yourself if you are worried about them," he finished.

"I need to at least get them someplace safe."

"Nowhere is safe," a new voice drawled from the shadows. Everyone turned to see Qrow stroll out of the temple with a bottle in his hand. His eyes looked glazed over, and he smelt like a liquor factory, but his demeanour was deadly serious. Gohan wasn't sure how he felt about the man anymore. He had taken Ruby's death and Yang's departure so badly that it had practically shattered the man. Gohan did split his time training Blake and Pyrrha with Weiss as well, seeing as the man sometimes disappeared from the Lookout. "Not with Cell around."

"Can't exactly argue with that," Blake muttered under her breath.

"If you want to go somewhere, take them to Haven. We still need to deal with Salem's spies. I managed to catch one. Name was… uh, Cinderella or something," Qrow took a swig of the bottle, some of the contents spilling onto the ground. "While Cell is the biggest threat, we shouldn't drop our guard around Salem. We still don't know where Ozpin is or what he's doing… not sure if the old bastard is even alive…" he trailed off, his eyes stared aimlessly at the ground as Blake turned to the others.

"There's Emerald too. She was doing something to Pyrrha's match in the finals before Cell arrived. Ironwood told us that Emerald's team had gone back to Mistral to be with Mercury's family after Yang nearly put him in a coma. She was sitting in the crowd in the final match. I was about to confront her but Cell decided to crash that party. I can only assume that Cinder, Emerald and Mercury were the ones working with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang," Blake explained, her eyes drifting towards Pyrrha.

"Then I should take my team to Mistral and investigate this lead before we land ourselves in more trouble than we are capable of dealing with," Pyrrha stated as she got up. Gohan still wasn't sure about the idea of sending Pyrrha off on her own. Now that Cell had achieved his second form, there was no telling where he was or what he was planning. A pit in his stomach told him that Cell was still out there, regaining his strength and planning his next few attacks very carefully.

If that Android got any stronger, Gohan wouldn't be able to win. They were practically equals now, and even that was uncertain.

"I have to agree, Cell is bad enough," Weiss started. "The last thing we need is more problems. We should deal with this Salem character first, and her followers. The less trouble we have when we come to deal with Cell, the better. That way, we can put all our focus on him, rather than have our attention divided."

"Well, would you look at that," Qrow drawled. "The ice princess actually sounds smarter than the ice queen!"

"Anyway," Gohan started, cutting off Weiss's inevitable insult she was bound to throw Qrow's way. "I have to agree with Weiss here. I don't like the idea that Cell might be still alive after what happened. I don't know who Salem is, but from what Ozpin has told me, I'd rather not leave her around for too long. We should deal with her the first chance we get."

"There's also been some White Fang activity popping up," Qrow added once more. This managed to catch Blake's complete attention. Anything involving the White Fang and Adam was immediately her problem. She felt like she was obligated to deal with it now that she had the means of defeating Adam and possibly even Sirenna Khan. "I heard that after what went down in Vale, a few of their agents have been making a few trips to Menagerie to recruit more followers. You might want to do something about that," his eyes drifted to Blake. He watched her fists tighten in anger.

"If any of you are leaving. Please," Gohan began softly, almost in a pleading manner. "Be careful. If you run into Cell, or an enemy you aren't sure you can handle. Just… just run. There are no second chances if you die," he finished softly. Pyrrha and Blake nodded almost in unison. There was almost a regretful look in Gohan's eyes, as if he were silently pleading for them to stay, but everyone here knew that they couldn't. Pyrrha had to leave to take care of her team and investigate Salem's spies, and Blake knew it was her duty to deal with the White Fang once and for all.

This time, they would be prepared.

If Cell was still out there, they were definitely not going to let him get away with what he had done.

There was a price that monster had to pay, and they were getting ready to collect.

* * *

There was a strange uncertainty in the air.

The weight of the world was upon the shoulders of four young teens and a drunkard, practically a recipe for disaster. Gohan and Weiss would remain on the Lookout and continue training themselves to get stronger while Blake would journey to Menagerie to investigate the White Fang activity popping up over there. Pyrrha would reconnect with her team and head to Haven to root out the last of Salem's spies, while Qrow… continued to information gather under the heavy influence of alcohol.

The moment Pyrrha had left the Lookout and returned to her team, she felt strangely out of place. Her unbelievable power and strength now made her one of the strongest huntsmen on the planet. That also made her a rather large target for her enemies.

Gohan had told her that he would catch up with her once he had talked with Yang. Blake had also promised to return once she had finished up business in Menagerie. Pyrrha had struggled to convince her team to leave the effort to retake Vale, but they had been understanding and willing to listen as to why. That was until she told them where they were going.

"Haven? Why would we go there?" Nora asked quizzically. Pyrrha frowned slightly.

"Qrow Branwen believes there are spies over there plotting to destroy Mistral, just like they had to Vale. Considering that Cinder Fall and her team claimed to be from there, it's the only lead we have to go on," Pyrrha explained. She didn't know the full details, and she was pretty sure that with everything that had happened lately, she didn't exactly want to.

"This is all so much to take in… what about that Cell monster? The one that killed…" Jaune trailed off. Nora and Ren immediately looked like they had been punched in the gut. The topic of Ruby's death was still a hard one to talk about let alone think about. The girl had died so brutally that it was hard to imagine what it must have been like. What kind of pain did she experience before passing on?

"We don't know, whether or not he survived the blast is unknown, but, with our luck recently, I'm willing to believe that he's still alive out there. So we _have_ to be careful which roads we take," Pyrrha emphasized. Ren nodded carefully. He was unsure about the journey to Mistral, the villages along the way… he was familiar with them, and some of them he even had personal connections to.

"Well then, we better get moving. It will take quite some time to get there, and I'm not sure if there are any ships willing to take us there considering that Atlas is in full lockdown. After what had happened to their security, they have become the most untrustworthy kingdom. And that's saying something considering Vacuo is right next door," Ren stated dolefully.

"Pyrrha, you can fly. Why don't you just fly us there?" Nora asked with a small grin on her face. Pyrrha deadpanned.

"It would take me hours to fly to Mistral. Are you suggesting that I carry you all?" Pyrrha asked incredulously. Jaune cracked a small grin for the first time in three days. They had been sitting in the camps on the outer rim of Vale being protected by the older, more experienced huntsman.

"Well… we could go one at a time…" Nora suggested. Pyrrha shook her head at that silly suggestion.

"I would be exhausted before I even make it half way Nora. We'll just walk. If we get lost I can fly up and look at where we are. Plus, we a more than capable of taking care of ourselves. I don't need to taxi three of you all the way to Mistral," Pyrrha finished. The tone in her voice was more annoyance than anything else. Nora only chuckled childishly.

"Maybe you could teach us to?" Jaune suggested. The three of them looked at Pyrrha for an answer. The red haired girl looked at the three of them. It was hard to answer that question. She knew how to fly, and she paid enough attention to Yang's instructions on how to fly. Maybe she could teach them, but she wouldn't do it here.

Too many people around, and in times like these… who could you really trust?

"We're walking, and maybe I'll teach you on the way. It takes time to learn," Pyrrha stated. The three of them looked rather excited. Ren looked mostly the same, but Nora and Jaune looked like their mood had been lifted to a rather better light.

"Okay, so where do we start? Mistral right? How far is it?" Jaune asked. Ren pulled out a map from his backpack and took a look at it. Judging from the sheer distance, land and mountains around the area, it would take at least a few months to get there on foot. If they learned to fly, they could skip most of the detours and delays of having to cross treacherous terrain.

"We'd have to cross a long body of water. If we learn to fly, we might not have to spend funds traveling via boat. We could also cut down on the time, it would take to reach Mistral," Ren explained. Pyrrha was beginning to see where they were going with this. They just wanted to learn how to fly… He didn't need to make good excuses as to why it was needed.

"Alright I'll teach you, I get the point," Pyrrha groaned.

"Yay! We are going to learn how to fly! OH-MY-GOSH! This is going to be so much fun!" Nora squealed. Ren frowned slightly.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Jaune groaned.

Seriously. Nora was bad enough on the ground as it was. They couldn't imagine the kind of things Nora would do if she could fly.

* * *

Suffice to say that Blake didn't like the water, but she preferred to sail across to Menagerie than fly.

One reason was that she might catch a White Fang agent that she could interrogate while aboard the vessel.

The other reason, she wasn't quite ready to see her parents yet. She had a lot to ponder over before she made it to Menagerie. Besides, this was the perfect opportunity for her to train with her energy control. She wasn't in any rush to go anywhere. It wasn't like Cell was going to attack a boat in the middle of the ocean. She felt the odds in that were rather low.

It had been a couple of weeks since Yang's little outburst on the Lookout, and Blake found the idea of returning home to her parents more appealing than ever. With Ruby's death, Yang's emotional breakdown, and Gohan's origins revealed, she felt like she needed some time away to think on things. The fact that there was White Fang activity over in Menagerie felt almost like killing two birds with one stone. She could see her family again, apologize for her brash behaviour for when she left Ghira and Kali, before going and dismantling the White Fang and their horrific violent ways.

Her world had changed so quickly, she was still struggling to _believe_ that everything that was happening wasn't just some kind of fever dream!

Her thoughts drifted back to Gohan, and the fact that she still had trouble believing that he was from a different world. Not only that but he was half-human and half-Saiyan… whatever a Saiyan was. He had explained it to be some powerful race of warriors that his father hailed from. She found it exceptionally hard to believe, especially when he claimed that he use to have a tail akin to a monkey.

He desired peace and to be normal, just like she did. When she came to Beacon, she just wanted to be looked at by everyone in a normal light. It was why she wore the bow. It stopped her from being discriminated against, and it while it did hide who she truly was, people were able to see her as just… well…

Blake. The anti-social emo girl…

Okay, maybe just Blake, but still, it was better than being looked at and called a disgusting animal.

Gohan's reasons for hiding his origins came at a surprise, but Blake found a lot of similarities between herself and the younger boy. He just desired a normal life, but it seemed that it had come crashing down around them in a single night. The Vytal Festival conclusion had been horrific. Blake was not prepared for that day at all, and she was pretty sure no one else was either.

She thought that having this power would have made her prepared for anything.

She was wrong.

It was just a power, nothing more than that.

She had since changed from her old outfit into something slightly different. Black skintight pants with black boots to match. She also wore a black tank top that exposed her midriff more than she would have liked. She was starting to see that maybe Yang had been a bit of a bad influence on her. At least she had a long white trench coat to wrap around her if she felt too uncomfortable.

The boat ride was estimated to be about a month's journey. She'd be here for a while. They were scheduled to stop off at a port south of the Anima continent. It was on the way to Menagerie anyway so she didn't mind. It gave her time to think about her life as she pondered what had happened since she had joined Beacon.

Facing her parents again was something that really shook her nerves up. The entire Vytal Festival had been broadcasted worldwide. She wasn't sure if Menagerie was included in that analogy, but she was sure that her parents had tuned in and no doubtedly had seen her abilities. That was going to be a tough one to explain to them, she only had to cross her fingers that maybe they were none-the-wiser.

While her parents were one problem, the White Fang was another one she was quite eager to resolve. The more she thought about her confrontation with Adam back in Vale, the more she was itching to end the ordeal. She had been evenly matched with him, and that was after being knocked around by Cell. Had she really surpassed him? Even with the extra training she had gotten from Gohan since? She fought with Pyrrha at almost supersonic speeds that not even a fully trained huntsman could follow.

Could she do it? Could she finally defeat the one nightmare that had been plaguing her since she had left the White Fang? Adam's shadow had taunted her and tormented her in her sleep. She dreaded the moment she had to face him again, but after confronting Cell, that fear seemed to dwindle away to a much larger and ominous fear.

Maybe after dealing with Adam she could-

A familiar energy spiked behind her, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Blake spun around as the familiar power passed behind her. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted what she was looking for. A figure about her height had just strolled behind her in a light, mustard colored cloak. The person had the hood up so she couldn't see, but she didn't need to. She was more than acquainted with this energy signature.

"Sun," Blake growled. The figure seemed to freeze up, like the person had just been caught red-handed. Blake walked over and pulled hood off the boy's head before he even had a chance to react. It was definitely him alright. Sun Wukong, her most annoying, but oddly satisfying friend in her life. He immediately brought up his hands in retreat, taking a few steps back.

"Oh hey Blake!" Sun exclaimed in fake shock. "Fancy seeing you here! On this boat! Heading to Menagerie… where I _certainly_ live…" Sun trailed off. Blake just scowled. What did he take her for? A brain dead idiot?

"Do you want me to throw you off this boat?" she growled. Sun scratched the back of his head.

"...Is that a trick question?"

"SUN!"

"Alright! Sorry! I'm sorry! Look, I saw that you flew off somewhere after Beacon fell. I was helping out some of the other students when I saw you heading towards the docks. I saw you board this boat so I decided to tag along to see if you were alright…" Sun replied honestly. Blake felt her eyes roll in an almost predictable pattern.

"You're following me?" she snapped accusingly. Sun shrugged.

"I heard what happened to your teammate. I didn't know her very well, but I wanted to make sure you were okay," he said carefully. Blake sighed as she turned back to the handrail and leaned on it. Her eyes followed the setting sun on the horizon. However much she tried, the event of Ruby's death seemed etched into her brain.

"I'm fine," Blake responded in a tired fashion. It was most certainly a lie, and Sun knew it immediately.

"I know you're lying, but I also want to know how you can fly. You never told me you could fly, and shoot laser beams! When did you learn how to do that?" Sun asked. Blake just growled in annoyance. She had been doing a lot of growling since this conversation started. Why could this stupid boy not take a hint!?

"I don't want to talk about it," Blake grounded out. Sun pushed further.

"You know when girls say that, they actually really want to talk about it and they just say that because if the guy isn't interested then he would brush it off and leave it alone. I'm your friend, and I don't want you to-" Sun was cut off by Blake kicking him in the shin.

"You've got a lot of nerve following me! I _just_ said I don't want to talk about it! But, since you seem to be _such_ an expert on my gender, why don't you tell me _exactly_ what I'm thinking, right now!" Blake's rage snapped. Sun shrunk back comically, the pain in his shin being dwarfed by unimaginable fear.

"Uhmm… you're thinking that… uhhh…." the anger on her face increased about tenfold. Sun started to sweat. "I'm thinking that you're planning about ten different ways to break my bones before throwing me off into the sea to drown," Sun guessed. Blake just grinned menacingly.

"Well… it seems you know at least _something_ about woman," Blake snarled. Before he got the chance to say anything else, a black aura exploded around the cat faunus. "LEAVE!" she ordered. Sun ran off with his tail between his legs. Once he was out of sight, the angsty faunus returned to watching the horizon.

"Idiot," Blake muttered. A small smile eventually made its way to her face, but it was quickly dismissed. She would not even give the stupid boy that kind affection.

* * *

A drop of sweat fell from his brow. The moment it hit the ground, he disappeared. A white flaming glow circled his body. His attacks and movements were impossible to see, as he was moving at blinding speeds invisible to the naked eye. He had been at this since the sun went down, and had no intention to stop until it set the next day.

Son Gohan was back in routine once more.

For every attack that he threw at his invisible opponent, his anger grew. The phantoms of the Androids had once returned to haunt his dreams. This nightmare was far from being over, and it didn't seem like he was capable of defeating this one. He had fought for so long, he just wished it was over when he woke up here on Remnant.

The librarian life was too peaceful and good to be true. He should have known that the moment Ozpin had offered it to him. The deal was too sweet, and it had bothered him, but he so desperately wanted to believe that peace had finally come for him. However, she should have known that his fight never just stopped there. It would always continue in some way.

He was through the first few hours of training when a voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"I think you should slow it down a bit. First you were training yourself as well as Pyrrha and Blake into the ground, and now that they're gone, you haven't stopped for almost two days," Weiss stated. Gohan stopped and turned to her. She was covered from head to toe in soot and most of her clothes were burnt. The hair tie she normally wore had seemingly burnt out of her hair, and it was now flowing down her back. "I get that you're upset that Yang left. You two had a special kind of chemistry and any idiot with a brain could see it, but you're not doing yourself any favors by punishing yourself like this."

"If she doesn't want to fight then she doesn't have to," he muttered solemnly. "It was never her fight to begin with…" Gohan finished muttering. He sat down as he brought out a yellow towel and wiped the sweat off his neck. Weiss just scowled, walking around to stand in front of him. She knew he was smarter than this, and his obsessive moody attitude was starting to get irritating.

"Training yourself into the ground isn't going to help anyone, Gohan," Weiss started. The onyx haired Saiyan looked up at her, as she crossed her arms. "Rest is just as important as training, and I'm sure you know this more than I do. You don't have to face Cell alone, we are all here to fight him with you. I'm certainly not going to let that monster get away with killing one of my best friends."

"You don't get it," Gohan shook his head sadly. "Cell is way out of your depth. I'm the only one that can fight him. I'm the only one strong enough to defeat him. This was my fight to begin with, and I have to be the one to end it. It's _my_ responsibility."

Weiss sighed, running a hand through her hair in a frustrated manner. She didn't know the boy that well, he had trained her briefly when Qrow wasn't around, but she had never really had the chance to get to know him like Yang had. Even Blake and Pyrrha knew more about him than she did. However, she knew that there was no way someone who acted like this could be friends with someone as happy as Yang. There was no way he was this depressive. She had to get through to him before he sunk any lower.

"Now you listen here," she snapped. Gohan's full attention was now on her. "I may not know what you've been through, and the people you've lost. But I sure as hell know that you didn't bring these monsters here on purpose. Just because you think it's your responsibility, _does not_ mean you have to do it alone. This is our home too, we aren't just going to sit back and let you dive into the danger by yourself," Weiss stated angrily.

"You don't understand, I-"

"Ah! Shut it. I'm talking," Weiss cut him off. Gohan cut his mouth as the older girl in front of him talked. "What Yang said to you was unfair. She was emotional. We all were, but Ruby meant the most to her so I'm not surprised. Stop blaming yourself, you're even worse than Blake when she gets moody," she stated rolling her eyes.

"I-"

"Not done," Weiss said curtly. "Look, what I'm trying to say is… this fight became ours the moment these threats appeared on _our_ world. They may have come here with you, but you have made it pretty clear that all you have wanted was to just live your life, and from what I know of you, you have tried to do just that," she explained. Gohan gave a hefty sigh.

"Weiss, please I-"

"Do I look like I'm done talking?" Gohan shook his head like a scolded child, to which Weiss smirked. "Good. Now, stop blaming yourself. Stop moping and go find Yang. You're training can wait until you have fixed your relationship with her. Now… off you go!" Weiss almost commanded.

"Yes ma'am," Gohan nodded curtly.

"Alright, now that's all out of the way…" Weiss flicked her hair back, a cloud of dust and soot hung in the air around her. "I'm going to have a shower," she finished, prancing off looking all regal and mighty. Gohan had to admit, the girl had a way with words. She had aimed and hit the bullseye with what was wrong with him.

"Thanks… I guess?" Gohan called after her. She waved as she disappeared inside the temple. Gohan was about to turn around as a another voice entered the fray. This one was more drawled and sarcastic than the regal and polite one that he had just been talking to.

"It must run in the family. Jeez, and I thought only the older Ice Queen was capable of doing speeches like that. Looks like the little Ice Princess has a way with words too," Qrow commented from the side. Gohan found it rather annoying that the drunkard was starting to develop Ozpin's habit of appearing from thin air. The older man was even starting to look like him with the sprouting gray hairs.

"Qrow, how are you feeling?" the Saiyan asked. The man waved the boy off.

"I'm getting by, just as long as I don't run out of alcohol," Qrow laughed mirthlessly. Gohan felt bad for the man. Even now it was clear the guy was still hurting. Ruby had been a very important part of his life, just as she had been to Yang's. The reaction was so broadly different, but Gohan could tell this was the reaction of someone who had lost people before, and had learned how to cope.

Even if it was at the bottom of a glass.

"Cell is still out there," Gohan commented after some silence. Qrow gave another weak laugh.

"What makes you think that?" he asked. Gohan turned to him.

"If I was able to survive that blast, then I have no doubt he did too. The only question is why didn't he just finish me off? And where is he? It's been three days," the hybrid wondered. Qrow scoffed as he took a swing from his flask. The son of Goku wondered if that metal flask would ever run out of substance.

"Well, wherever he is, I hope he stays gone. I hope we get as much time as possible to prepare, but I don't know how were ever supposed to prepare for something like him," Qrow trailed off. Gohan didn't respond to it, he just knew that Qrow was talking to himself at this point. The drunken man swayed to the edge of the Lookout and lay down.

"It seems like this won't _ever_ end."

If Gohan had a penny for every time he had thought that in the past, he'd be as rich as the Briefs.

* * *

It was a strange sensation for her, slowly opening her strained eyes as she gazed at the pinkish sky. It was becoming more apparent that she felt more alive than she ever had. Apart from the obvious drowsiness, but there was a slight annoyance that buzzed and glowed around her head.

Ruby Rose slowly pushed herself to a sitting position.

She rubbed her silver eyes as she looked around, adjusting to her new surroundings. She wasn't at Beacon anymore, and she wasn't even close to Vale from the looks of it. A moment of looking around at her surroundings. She felt her eyes widened momentarily in disbelief.

" _Where… am I?_ " she thought incredulously. Next to her was a long line of seemingly white puffy clouds. They all seemed to move in orderly fashion every few seconds or so. She watched for a couple of minutes before her eyes trailed off to a man- well whatever it was. It was blue, had horns, wore and suit and had slick black hair. Not to mention it was holding a megaphone.

"Please make your way to the check-in-station. You are dead, please accept that," he repeated over and over to the line of mini-puffy clouds. Ruby's head was starting to spin. What kind of crazy world had she landed in!? This looked like the kind of place you ended up seeing if you took too many of those crazy drugs!

Wait.

" _I… I remember,_ " Ruby's eyes widened. The thoughts came back to her, she was powerless after letting out all her emotions at once. The fact that Yang looked like she had been beaten almost to death and then watching Penny get swallowed up by the big mean green monster. There was this bright light and then she suddenly felt really _tired_.

She had watched as the monster stalked towards her, like an ominous shadow of death. She couldn't even run. It was a horrifying thought. The memory was enough to bring about phantom shakes, but now she just felt so at peace. And what was that the blue man had said?

You were dead?

She was dead?

" _I'M DEAD?_ " she thought in shock. She looked up and sure enough, there was a bright white halo on her head. She shot to her feet, glancing over her body. She was still wearing her clothes, no burn marks, holes or any sort of damage. She even had her cape. She didn't understand. Why did she have a body and what were all those little puffy clouds next to her that kept moving?

"Excuse me," Ruby asked walking up to the blue ogre humanoid. The being acted like he didn't even see her. Ruby waved her hand in front of his face. He turned to her and pointed the megaphone right in her face and turned it on.

"Please make your way to the check-in-station! You are dead! Please accept it!" he boomed through the megaphone. The volume was enough to ruffle Ruby's hair comically and almost blow out her ear-drums. Her eyes rolled around her skull as she felt dizzy and almost collapsed. She shook off the initial shock of being yelled at point-black by a man with a megaphone.

"I heard you the first time! Thanks' for almost destroying my ear-drums!" Ruby yelled back. The man looked impassive, like he didn't even register what she had just said.

"Please make your way to- hey wait a minute! You have your body!" he exclaimed as she shook himself out of his stupor. He gazed at her, blinking rapidly, as if to try and make sure that he wasn't going crazy or just staring at an apparition. Ruby looked sideways and shuffled her feet awkwardly. She didn't like being started at like this.

"Uh-yeah sure… Last time I checked I kind of- you know- was always in my body," Ruby replied. The ogre shook his head violently, grabbing Ruby's shoulder, making the girl almost jump in surprise.

"Nonono! You don't get it. You _have_ your body! That's a huge privilege to get when you die! You must be wanted by someone very important! The last guy that came through here that still had his body got special training! Aw man he was so cool!" the ogre shouted in excitement. Before Ruby could even reply, she was pulled along with him.

"Come on! I'll take you to King Yemma. He'll know what you're here for," the ogre reassured. Ruby could only follow along behind the blue man in the suit was they approached a big building that letters on it that she didn't recognise or understand.

As they were walking, Ruby opted to ignore most of what the nervous, stuttering ogre was saying as she looked around. They were on floating pathway that hung over a large mass of big fluffy yellow clouds. And for some reason…

They looked very delicious.

She wondered if they tasted like chocolate chip cookies…

"Here we are!" the blue man broke her out of her thoughts as they walked into a large open room. Ruby was greeted by the largest sentient creature she had ever seen. What was before her was very hard for her to put into words, but simply, it was a giant red ogre in a suit, sitting at a giant desk with an unreal size of stacked papers at the side. He looked very busy as he skipped through a few pages of what seemed to be a record book. Ruby was nudged by the man who had led her there.

"That's King Yemma," he explained. "He's the judge of all the souls that come through here. Be very respectful, he's quite impatient," the blue ogre informed as he stepped back. Ruby looked absolutely confused at what was going on. She didn't seem to have the words to question the man as he gestured her to move forward.

"Ah-okay... Um-Ahem. Mr King Yemma?" Ruby asked sweetly. The large ogre looked over his desk at the small innocent tiny speck of a soul that is Ruby Rose. She couldn't be any smaller if she tried to be. Under his large menacing glare, he frowned as he looked her over.

"You… You have a body," he examined. Ruby simply nodded. "What's your name, girl?" he asked. Ruby fiddled with her thumbs nervously.

"R-Ruby Rose… Sir," she spoke, fumbling into an awkward curtsy. Weiss had tried her best to teach her proper female manners, but it seemed that poor little Ruby needed some more work on it apparently. The large ogre merely looked at her curiously as he picked up another book and flipped through it. He scanned the pages as he looked down in the R. Section.

"Ah… Ruby Rose. Daughter of Taiyang and Summer Rose? From the planet Remnant. You have a special request by King Kai of the northern galaxy. He has requested that you journey to his planet via Snake Way… a very prestigious request indeed," Yemma responded as he looked over the notes. Ruby was standing there twiddling her thumbs as a sudden thought popped into her head.

If she was dead, and this guy judged _all_ the souls that came through here… then maybe… just maybe…

"Ah, excuse me. Can I ask a favor?" she asked nicely. Yemma scowled at her as he leaned over his desk and peered down at her. Ruby immediately shrunk away from the large, overwhelmingly obese ogre that could seemingly swallow her whole if he so desired.

"A favor!? Little girl, do you know who I am? Do you know how busy I am?" he boomed. His large figure and body went well in hand with his naturally loud and earth-shaking voice. Ruby felt her whole-body quiver as her mind seemingly shut down and started spouting nonsense.

"Well-ah-I mean you don't- ah- you don't have to -I mean you – It's just a favor- it's not really that important," Ruby stuttered and tripped over her own words. Yemma eyed her curiously as he leaned back in his chair, a look of intrigue on his face.

"Go on… ask. What would you like me to do for you?" he asked in a more calm and soothing manner. Ruby seemingly picked herself up quickly and put on a friendly smile.

"Ah- I just wanted to asked if… Ah- you know, if my mom came through here at some point?" she asked nervously. Yemma heard her loud and clear as he picked up another book and opened it. His curious eyes still on her. It wasn't every day that a girl like her was requested by King Kai. She was clearly special enough so he would humour her with this request.

"Ah, Summer Rose, is it? I see, let me have a look here…" Yemma trailed off as he flipped through the pages. Ruby waited patiently as the large ogre grumbled, muttering about times of death and people dying for stupid reasons. She was starting to get rather nervous as he continued to flip through more pages, eventually switching out for another book.

After about the fourth book, he closed it and looked down at the nervous looking girl.

"I'm sorry, but it seems your mother Summer Rose hasn't come through here. She is probably still alive," Yemma stated in a calm manner. Ruby's eyes widened dramatically as her mouth dropped open a bit from shock at this new revelation.

In that moment, Ruby's entire world was flipped on its head for the second time that day.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Alright guys, this chapter marks the start of a new journey for all of our characters. Chapters will be shorter, and hopefully the update schedule will be too. Characters are going their own ways and their personal arcs are about to begin. All of this will take place during Volume 4, but considering the way Volume 3 ended in my version of my events, this volume will be vastly different, almost unrecognizable.**

 **Since Volume 5 is coming out soon, the only thing I'll be using is different outfits, if they have any outfit changes, which is doubtful. I will not be using any elements or plot points that will be revealed in Volume 5, seeing as I know where this story goes and how it ends. Everything is planned and everything has a purpose.**

 **I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	12. Rekindling the Flame

**A/N:**

 **Woah! What's this? A quick update!? Sivam you're on steroids all of a sudden! I know, but this is a special situation. I hadn't updated for like almost two months, and I feel like I needed to get out some content quickly. I have chapters on backlog and I thought that this is the time to do it.**

 **I do have a special announcement though! I will be posting a new story (soon) that I am collaborating with dmoose18 on! This is a Dragon Ball Z crossover with Percy Jackson, it's name is still being determined, For those of you who happen to be Percy Jackson fans, you have something to look forward to!**

 **Hey, dmoose18 here! We are really hyped to release this story, it's been a blast to write and edit so far. Sivam and I will be co-authoring it, and it will involve Teen Gohan. Unfortunately, this means that I will have to put a permanent hold on any work surrounding Warriors of Legend. I've been stuck on how to move forward with it for quite some time, and being in Costa Rica for 3 months with no internet access didn't help. I can only reasonably maintain focus on 3 stories at once, so WoL needs to be cut for now. However, I WILL come back to it at some point!**

 **Also, consider this my official return to fanfiction after a 4 month long hiatus. I apologize for not being able to update everyone on why I was gone, but I had to take some time and sort my life out. I'm glad to be back, and I hope you all enjoy the new story!**

 **Hey! If you guys have Discord, and like this story, you should join this server and talk with us!** **discord. gg/JrnKzyx**

 **Just remove the spaces!**

* * *

 _Chapter Twelve: Rekindling the Flame_

So far, her experience in the afterlife had been a wild one. It was interesting enough to find out that there actually _was_ something after death, but now she was learning that her mother was alive? That was quite interesting, a little on the confusing and annoying side, but still interesting and exciting.

"Here we are!" the guide gestured to the entrance of Snake Way. It was a giant stone and marble snakehead with its jaws wide open, which reminded her of a King Taijitu with its shape and size. Ruby peered around the side of the giant head to see that the pathway lead off into the horizon, farther than she could perceive.

"Sooo… this is Snake Way? Am I just supposed to follow the pathway to this 'Kai' person?" Ruby asked quizzically, to which the servant nodded his head in response.

"King Kai," he corrected with a wag of his finger, adjusting his glasses slightly. "And yes, you simply follow the pathway until you see his planet. It's kind of hard to miss, you should be able to see it from the end of Snake Way. The journey is a long one, and only the most determined ever make it," the ogre explained. Ruby frowned, an uncertain look crossing her features. How long was this thing supposed to be anyway?

"Also-" the ogre cut off whatever she was about to say, causing her to pout childishly. "Make sure _not_ to fall off Snake Way. What lies below the clouds is the dimension of Hell. If you fall down there, there's no getting back. You'll be stuck for all eternity," he advised. That made Ruby swallow hard. The pathway looked very narrow… one wrong step and she could end up in hell!

"...No kidding," Ruby sweated nervously. "How long is this path exactly?" she asked. The ogre put a hand on his chin in thought.

"Well, it's rumored to be never-ending," he responded, looking up thoughtfully. Ruby deadpanned comically.

Was this guy kidding?

He was kidding.

He _had_ to be! There was no way this thing had no end to it.

"Oh wait, I know! When the last guy got to the end a couple of years ago, he came back and said that Snake way was somewhere around 600,000 miles long," the ogre remembered.

If it were even possible, Ruby's eyes would've popped out of their sockets from shock. Her mouth twitched as her whole body started to shake. No way was even remotely possible! That would take months to travel on foot! This was insane! She was expected to get to the end of this stupid pathway!?

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!? THERE'S NO WAY I'D MAKE THE FIRST HUNDRED MILES! I WOULD DIE OF STARV- wait," Ruby stopped herself. She was already dead, did she even need to eat? Did she need water? How would that work? The response she got was a laughing ogre in a suit and tie. She couldn't believe she was being laughed at by something out of a children's picture book!

"You don't need to worry about that, you're already dead! Your energy is limitless here in Otherworld. If you needed to eat and drink, no one would ever make it across Snake Way," he explained. Ruby made a childish 'oh' with her mouth as she realized just how stupid it was. Of course, she didn't need any of that, she was already dead.

Did that mean that her aura was unlimited?

" _Does that mean I can use my semblance without even stopping? Surely that can't be right…_ " she thought to herself. She took another glance at Snake way. If she used her Semblance to cross this thing, she wouldn't even need to run! She could practically glide across the pathway! Though she would need to be careful, if she landed wrong, she could end up falling down into Hell.

She didn't even want to know what was down there!

"You better get going," the ogre said as he turned to walk away. "You've got a long road ahead of you!" he laughed as he disappeared back into King Yemma's quarters. Ruby grumbled something about stupid puns and even being in the afterlife she couldn't escape the terrible humor.

She took her first steps onto the path that was Snake way. She looked at the long, bendy, narrow path ahead of her. The thought of this road being anywhere near as long as what the ogre had said, made Ruby want to curl up in a little ball and pretend that she was back at home with her father and older sister. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that she was supposed to follow the _entire path_ to the end.

" _I might as well get started..._ " Ruby thought as she crouched down. In a burst of blinding speed, she turned into a red blur, bouncing across the various bends of Snake Way. She liked to think she was relatively in control of her semblance when it came to things like this, and it appeared that she was correct after all.

After five minutes she stopped and looked back. King Yemma's check-in-station was long since out of sight. She wasn't even remotely tired, nor did she feel the need to eat or drink water! This was simply incredible! She had unlimited energy in this place! Fancy that! Maybe this journey wouldn't be so terrible after all.

" _Okay, Rubes… you can do this!_ " she cheered mentally. 600,000 miles! Bring it on! This would be a piece of cake! It would only take her… well…

" _I'm going to be following this stupid path for a very long time aren't I?_ "

* * *

"Focus."

That word aggravated her to no end. She had been at this for three days, and still, she had yet to show proper results. She was starting to think that she wasn't capable, but it seemed that her teacher was sure that she was able to do it. Regardless of how many hours, or days, it took to get it.

"I am!" she snapped. It was becoming more than a chore to her, and she knew her teacher was starting to get fed up. Apparently, when the woman in front of her got fed up, bad things tended to happen to those people. Cinder Fall wasn't one to test the patience of one Raven Branwen, especially when she was the only reason that Salem hadn't killed her.

"You're forcing it. You'll never get it if you try and force it. It comes naturally, you stupid girl. Relax, and try and find it," Raven scolded. Cinder bit down angrily. This woman was treating her like a child, it was infuriating! How dare this arrogant female keep her tied down like this. She felt so powerless to fight back. Raven was giving her a purpose again, but for some reason, Cinder didn't feel all that grateful to her.

"This is ridiculous! I _feel_ ridiculous!" the younger jet-black haired girl emphasized. Raven growled.

"You won't be leaving this building until you get it down. You are of too much use to me. If you cannot harness this power, then I will keep you chained to my side like a dog," the older woman sneered. Cinder shrunk back, seething in her barely contained rage.

"You haven't given me much information. I don't even know what this power is supposed to feel like. You say everyone has it! Why can I not feel it?!" Cinder questioned. The female Branwen merely rolled her eyes in annoyance as she placed a hand on Cinder's shoulder and forced her to sit back down. She was in no mood for playing games.

"A warmth from inside you. Just look for it. If the next words that come out of your mouth aren't somewhere along the lines of success, then I will make these next few days a living hell for you," Raven promised. Cinder merely swallowed. How _far_ she had fallen. She was now reduced to taking threats from someone that _should_ have been lower than her.

"Yes… _mistress_ ," Cinder ground out, to which Raven smirked as she turned away. The hulking servant to her side in a large green vest stepped out of the shadows. He had an orange mohawk and blue eyes. His overly large mass was easily about twice the size of Raven, and easily almost three times the size of Cinder.

"Good girl. Sixteen, be are darling and watch over her for me. I need to run a few errands. If she tries to leave, don't hesitate to break her legs," Raven instructed as she strode out the door. Cinder watched her leave with seething hatred in her eyes. Being ordered around, threatened… reduced to a mere _servant_. There was nothing she despised more.

At least Salem had talked to her like a person. _Most_ of the time anyway.

Raven Branwen was nothing short of inhumane to her. Cinder wouldn't be surprised if her next few meals were presented to her in bowls. She felt like an animal, and somehow that was even worse. She didn't understand why the woman was treating her this way. She had _chosen_ to come with her. Why was she acting this way toward her?

Cinder resigned herself to her fate and continued trying to channel the _inner energy_ that everyone seemed to be learning nowadays. Up till about a month ago, the most powerful energy in this world was that of the Maidens to her knowledge. Where had this power come from, and why did it seem like she was only just now learning about its true capabilities?

Had Salem known all along? Had she sent her on a suicide mission? She could still feel the phantom pain of her ribs breaking from that boy hitting her when she infiltrated the Beacon CCT tower. He'd toyed with her like no one ever had! Why was such a person able to do something like that to her!? It didn't make any sense!

But since the Vytal Festival, the whole idea of what was logical and what made sense seemed to be flipped on its head.

Cell's appearance presented an unfavorable roadblock to her plans. Plans that were obviously flushed down the proverbial toilet the moment it happened. She wrote it off though, her arrogance deeming Cell to be a worthwhile distraction while she made her way to where the Fall Maiden was. She had been so close, but yet so far off. Ozpin anticipated her move and somehow had already found a suitable replacement for Amber.

Not that it mattered anymore, but Cinder was still angry over that fact. She had walked straight into a trap that had been devised by the older and more cunning headmaster. Moreover, Salem didn't even try to recover her, and the moment she crawled out of the ruins of Beacon tower, Qrow captured her.

"You are not concentrating," the male in the room stated. Cinder looked up to where the robotic voice had come from, the sizeable hulking man in the green vest. She looked at his eyes and realized that they were hollow. Was he even human? He didn't seem to have a presence in the room. That was something that bothered Cinder. Usually, she could feel the presence of people around her.

Maybe it was a natural talent or instinct to be able to sense aura. She had never much looked into it but had summed it up to a reactionary trait that she had. Feeling aura was not something most people were capable of, but some people could do it. She knew she could do it to some degree, so why was it that this person seemed to be so…

Empty?

"I am an Android," he stated, answering her unspoken question. Cinder's eyes narrowed slightly in disbelief. His answer couldn't possibly be correct, but the realm of impossibility had been abused as of late, so she couldn't completely rule it out. Besides, him being an Android would answer a few of her concerns relating to his personality and presence.

Shifting her gaze, she turned to look at the supposed Android who was leaning against a wall, his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest. He stood impossibly still, and Cinder noted that he wasn't even breathing.

"Yeah? Where were you created tough guy?" Cinder scoffed sarcastically. The Android was silent for a few moments.

"Not on this planet," he stated. Cinder's eyes widened in shock.

" _What?_ "

* * *

Following her energy wasn't hard to do. In fact, it was quite easy. She had grown quite strong since starting her training, but Gohan never thought that she was capable of coming this far. The Island of Patch was small and isolated, but a strange sense of familiarity washed over the boy when he reached it.

The forests he passed over reminded him a lot of home, back in the East District. There were many small towns, and he had passed Signal Academy on the way there. It was the school responsible for training the younger children to prepare them for the road of the Huntsman. In a world like this, it was needed.

Flying over the forests, he caught sight of two small graves on the side of a cliff. They were overlooking the woods below. At first, he hadn't felt the need to stop, but a small gut feeling told him that the Xiao Long residence was only a couple of hundred meters ahead. He decided to touch down in front of the stones. When he did, a look of guilt was splashed across his face.

" _Summer Rose and Ruby Rose… the flowers that will forever continue to bloom. May their souls forever rest in peace,_ " he read. It was both sad and touching to read. His thoughts drifted to the fact that Ruby was in Otherworld, and she had kept her body. He couldn't help but think about what she was doing.

He was used to standing in front of graves like this. His mother had built Goku one, Bulma had built Vegeta one, and Master Roshi had made one for Krillin. He had also made one for Piccolo near Korin's tower. It seemed like an elegant way to honor those who fell fighting the Androids. A memento, a memory that would live on forever…

Gohan found himself visiting the graves of Piccolo and Goku more than anyone else. While he did pay his respects to the others that had fallen, the Namekian and his father had been the most impactful people in his life. The two that had changed him forever. They were his guardians, his heroes, and they would forever remain that way.

"This is unexpected," a voice commented from behind him. Gohan turned to find a man with golden sandy hair and fair, tanned skin. He looked lean and fit. He was quite muscular, and he wore a sunny smile on his face, but Gohan could see right through that facade. It was one that he was very familiar with wearing. The one that told everyone around you that things would be okay… when that couldn't be further from the truth.

"I knew her… Ruby that is… I was there when she died," he said solemnly. The man behind him walked up and placed a bouquet of roses on each grave. He gave a hefty sigh.

"It's… not easy losing those you love. Especially when one of those is your own daughter," he exhaled. Gohan could feel the pain in the man's voice. It wasn't easy to bear, knowing that you were responsible for bringing the monster here. The one that had killed- No.

He couldn't think like that anymore. It wasn't his fault. They didn't blame him. Weiss had made that perfectly clear. He only wished he could have believed it more. He needed to hear it from Yang if he was to believe it. The girl had made it pretty clear when she had left that it was _all_ his fault.

"No, it isn't," Gohan agreed.

"The name's Taiyang. I'm Yang's father. Judging by the outfit, you must be Gohan, right?" he asked. Gohan could only nod in confirmation. Taiyang sighed heavily as he turned back to the grave.

"Yang told me that you were responsible for bringing the monster here that did this to my daughter," he said slowly. Gohan refused to meet the man's eyes. The pain was starting to get heavier in his heart. All this guilt, it was something that wasn't healthy for him to bear. The older man sighed, taking Gohan's silence as acceptance.

A hand landed on his shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself. I know you tried to prevent it. Yang was upset, she's hot-headed like that sometimes. She likes to throw around the blame when she gets like this. I don't think it's ever been this bad… and I would be lying if I said that I didn't blame you too when I first heard about it," he explained. He took a seat in front of Summer's grave.

"The way I see it, Cell killed Ruby. That's all there is to it. Yang knows it as well, she's just too stubborn to see it right now. She's a lot like her mother that way," the passive father stated. The Saiyan felt a small weight lifted off his shoulders. He was glad at least her father saw it that way. He looked like a robust and bright man. In some ways, watching him reminded him of his own father.

"You don't know how much it means to hear you say that," Gohan responded, a hint of relief in his voice. "I just wish that Yang could see it the same way. I just…" Gohan trailed off. He couldn't find the words to finish that sentence, but it seemed the older father figure knew what he was trying to say. Before he could say any more, a crunch of leaves was heard from behind the two.

"Dad are you out here? It's almost dinner time, you need t-" Yang stopped herself when her eyes met his onyx orbs. That jet-black hair and orange clothing. It was him. He had come to find her. A surge of emotions tore through her body. She felt happiness, anger, sadness, guilt… every single emotion that had been following her around like a raincloud these last three days just surged at once.

It was too much to bear.

She turned and sprinted back home.

"Yang!" the Saiyan called out. He stopped as she disappeared through the treeline, casting his gaze toward the ground in sadness. Soon after, he found himself being nudged by the older man.

"Go to her. She needs you more than me at the moment. I'm just a bitter old man. The only ones that can pull her out of this rut are her friends, and right now, she needs one more than she needs a father," he stated sagely. The hybrid took one last look at the man before taking off after his daughter.

Dashing through the trees in a blur, the orange chased after the bright yellow. She was slower than he was, so he was able to catch up pretty quickly. When he finally did catch up, they had both made it to the house. Her home, the place where she grew up and lived out her life with her family. Her being here seemed to be doing more damage than it was healing.

"Yang please!" Gohan called. She stopped right in front of the door, her hand inches away from the knob. She slowly turned to him, her lilac eyes refusing to meet his. She was crying all over again. It was a bad look for her. Yang Xiao Long wasn't a crier, she was a fighter, and seeing her like this hurt him more than it probably should have.

"What are you doing here Gohan?" she sobbed bitterly. The hybrid steeled his nerves. He needed to talk to her, he needed to hear that she didn't blame him for this. He needed her to trust him again, like when they were friends back at Beacon. He would do whatever it took, but he just needed her to stand by him once more.

This wasn't a war he could win on his own.

But even so… it was about much more than that. It wasn't about Cell, this wasn't even about the battles and the fall of Beacon… no this was about her trusting him again, and if telling her _everything_ was what he had to do to gain her trust back, then that's what he would do, no matter how painful it would be to recount the past.

"I'm here to see you. I wanted to see if you were okay," he said softly. Yang glared at him, wiping away the tears from her eyes. She was sick of crying, tired of being such an emotional wreck. Why wouldn't the tears just stop already?

"I'm fine," she responded. Gohan wasn't fooled.

"No, you're not," he replied.

"I'm fine!" she snapped, her eyes shifting to red. Gohan was ready for this to get aggressive.

"No! You're not! Look at yourself Yang, you're a mess!" he shot back. Yang balled her fists. She was _not_ in the mood to be having arguments. Especially with Gohan of all people.

"Yeah, no thanks to you!" she growled back. Gohan bit down on the pain, he needed to see if that's what she _really_ thought.

"Do you really blame me for Ruby's death?" he asked. Yang opened her mouth but faltered when the words refused to exit her mouth. The moment he saw her hesitation, he knew that she didn't blame him. But he did know that she needed a target, and he was that target, no matter how much she denied it. Her feelings told him everything in that single moment.

"I…" Yang trailed off. She shook her head out of her stupor. "Just leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you right now!" she growled. She turned to open the door to escape inside but was stopped when Gohan's hand landed on her shoulder. It was a light touch, full of sympathy, but it filled her to the brim with rage. Her hair lit aflame, her yellow aura exploding around her in anger, kicking up debris.

"Don't touch me," she growled dangerously. Gohan had a fierce look of determination on his face.

"Not until you talk to me Yang," the Saiyan responded, retracting his hand. She knew that he wouldn't leave her alone until she talked to him, so in a matter of seconds, her poor decision making had taken control of her body. Before she even could reason with herself and think things through, she entered her Semblance Evolved form unintentionally.

A foot planted in Gohan's abdomen sent him skidding backward. He had taken the hit full on and recovered without so much of showing signs of damage. He was prepared, and his guard was up. Yang _really_ was emotional if she lashed out at him like this. He was sure she was only doing this because she _thought_ that she blamed him.

"If you don't leave me alone, I'm going to make you wish you were _dead_ ," she warned dangerously. Gohan wasn't fazed in the slightest. Much stronger opponents had threatened him with worse, and yet he was still living and breathing. While the threat did register, most of it flew right over his head.

"Can't we just talk about this?" Gohan asked cautiously. The blonde screamed and charged him. He frowned, this time he was ready. The moment she threw her first punch, she had regressed back into throwing her weight around. It was like when they first sparred, except she was much more powerful this time, and much more angry.

"GO AWAY!" Yang screamed. Gohan blocked a punch, but one stray kick found its way through his guard. He grunted as he skidded to the side, refusing to fight back. If he did at this stage, she would just get stronger. Her Semblance Evolved was active, and he wasn't sure if he could avoid using Super Saiyan if she got any stronger.

"Not until you calm down so we can talk," he responded by blocking another punch to his face. He could see the blood-red anger in her eyes. Over in the treeline, Taiyang was watching with an impassive look on his face. He had never seen his daughter act like this. It was almost like he was watching _Raven_ fight, which was quite disturbing.

Yang refused to say anything as the crimson electric field around her intensified. Her power grew slightly, and it seemed that her hair was starting to gain a red tint to it. With every strike, she got faster, but it was more sloppy and uncontrolled. She would be in serious trouble in the future if she continued to fight by letting her anger drive her strikes.

"Yang, please calm down," Gohan grunted. She pulled back, glaring death at him.

"Why won't you just leave me alone!? I don't care! I DON'T CARE! I DON'T CARE!" she screamed. The ground around her started to shake violently, and Gohan sensed a drastic increase in power. She lunged forward, and Gohan knew at that moment he wouldn't be able to power up enough to block her attack sufficiently. He had let his guard down around her, probably a bad move on his part. A quick transformation would give him the power he needed to render her power useless.

A bright golden glow erupted around his body, his hair shifted into a fiery golden. His eyes changed from onyx black to bright teal. The change was instantaneous and stunning. It almost stopped the girl right in her tracks. The look of the transformation was more intimidating than she could remember. His eyes held absolutely no mercy, and within them burned the fire of determination.

He caught her attack head-on. The ground around them cracked and split apart, steam erupting out of those cracks like a volatile volcano was about to explode from underneath them. Gohan looked unfazed while Yang was struggling to pull her hand away, but found that his overwhelming strength stopped her. His grip hardened.

"I'm only going to ask one more time. Calm. _Down_ ," he ordered. It was more of a command, and her body demanded that she follow it to the letter. Her anger was dwarfed by the hatred that she saw hidden behind those eyes. It wasn't directed at her, and it certainly wasn't because of her, but she knew that they promised pain if she didn't listen.

Unconsciously, she dropped out of her Semblance Evolved form and out of fear and calmed herself down. As she did this, he slowly let her hand go. She walked backward slightly, her eyes scanning the form. She'd never had the time to truly admire it before. He had transformed to stop her on the Lookout, but that was only briefly.

"I never wanted to use this form against you… or anyone I care about. This form is a reminder of the pain I suffered and endured in my past. It is a constant fire that rages inside of me, reminding me who I am and what I _witnessed_ to learn it. By all rights, I hate it. Please, I never want to use it against you Yang. I'm begging you, don't ever push me this far again." Gohan said powering down.

Taiyang could only watch in amazement from the sidelines. He'd watched as the boy defended against Yang, refusing to fight back. At first, he thought that she had him on defense, but it was more than that. He didn't want to hurt her, but this transformation… it was indeed something else. Something much more than a mere semblance.

It was able to enforce enough fear into her that she calmed down in seconds. He had to wonder what she'd seen in him to make her stop her assault like an obedient child. He watched as tears started to stream from her eyes.

"W-Why… Why did it have to be Ruby?" she cried, the pain came crashing down all around her again. The walls closed in around her. But suddenly, she was embraced by the boy that was seemingly responsible for her pain. The walls were being held back now. They weren't closing in on her anymore. She felt _safe_.

"Life's not fair Yang, but I _will_ try my best to make it better for you," his voice sounded desperate, almost as much as she desired Ruby to be back home. She sunk into his arms.

"I want my sister back," Yang cried. "I want my mother back."

"I can't bring them back,"

"Then you'd better never leave me,"

It was a whisper, a desperate plea.

He had heard it, and he knew his answer.

"I won't."

* * *

He was infuriating to be around, but she actually had no choice in the matter. She had willingly opted to take the helm as the Fall Maiden, so she would do her absolute best to do that title justice. Especially after what everyone had gone through since the fall of Vale. However, at the moment she was emotionally exhausted.

"Get up," a voice drawled, to which Weiss groaned. She didn't want to get out of bed! Whoever it was couldn't make her! She was comfortable, warm, and most importantly, she felt incredibly safe tucked up in her sheets. She was even able to drown out that horrible alcoholic smell with her scented bedsheets.

A bucket of ice water was dropped on her head.

She shrieked and shot out of bed at speeds that would put Ruby's semblance to shame.

"What is your problem!?" she screamed. Qrow Branwen gave an amused smirk as he looked at the drenched ice princess from head to toe. She had her bed-gown on, her hair was untied, and now mostly soaked through. It was an amusing sight. If only he had his scroll on him, he would have taken a picture and sent it to Ice Queen herself.

"We have training to do. Your Maiden powers aren't going to magically come under control. Now get dressed and meet me outside in five minutes," her mentor ordered. Weiss grumbled as the man closed the door behind him. She couldn't imagine what Ruby saw in this man. She practically worshiped the ground he walked on when they had observed the fight between her sister and the drunkard huntsman.

"Stupid, tactless old man," Weiss muttered as she pulled out a fresh pair of clothes. As she was getting dressed, she was in the middle of strapping her boots on when her scroll starting vibrating. It was on the end of her bed next to her. The moment it started, Weiss had to close her eyes in frustration. The day Vale had fallen, her father had demanded she come home immediately.

He had been calling her for days non-stop. She must have had about over a thousand missed calls from him. She didn't even know how she was supposed to talk to him. She didn't like the man, but he was still her father, and he had raised her when her mother had been surprisingly absent. She had heard stories from Winter, but they were in relatively low supply. It seemed that there was not much to be said about the woman.

Her father had raised her, but she had been so limited and constricted in the way she was allowed to grow up. Having forced and opinionated views forced upon you as a child was not something she would wish on anyone. It was even worse because she was a Schnee, one of the most influential names on Remnant in this modern age.

She took pride in her name, but she also despised being associated with it sometimes. It was

'Heiress' this and 'Heiress' that. Sometimes it was even 'Ms. Schnee' or 'Lady Schnee.' It was never just 'Weiss,' and that was what she had longed for… She had some of the same problems as Pyrrha, but unlike the red-head, sometimes Weiss had no issues reaping the rewards that her last name brought in.

Now though? She had a huge responsibility placed on her shoulders.

A large burden to bear.

Qrow and Ozpin had both told her that Jacques was not to learn of her newfound powers. She was to remain on the Lookout and learn how to control these abilities, and learn the ways of Ki. She learned from the headmaster that he knew very little of the power, but he still had the starting points to go off. Blake, Yang, and Pyrrha seemed to have jumped leagues ahead of everyone else in about a month.

She had no idea that _this_ was what they were doing. It was almost too much to fathom. She felt incredibly stupid for pushing the issue with them and accusing them of lying to both her and Ruby. The sheer devastation that it had caused in Vale was enough to be recorded in history as one of the worst attacks since the final battle of the Great War eighty years ago.

Weiss once again ignored the phone call, opting to turn her scroll off. She only kept it on to receive and send messages to her concerned sister Winter. The woman had since returned to Atlas with General Ironwood to help quell the mass of panic that was starting to spread over the threat of Cell and the possible idea of Atlas being the next target of whatever had helped to bring down the Kingdom!

A lot had happened, and Weiss had been forced to accept a lot of things over this past week that it was starting to drain her both physically and mentally, but she knew she had to keep pushing on. She had to become strong. She had goals she needed to accomplish in her life, and now that she was getting stronger, and learning how to fight with a much greater power, she was getting closer to those goals by the day.

She wouldn't give it up now.

She couldn't.

Making her way outside, she found Qrow waiting for her. He stood in the middle of the Lookout staring at her. They trained up here most of the time. When Gohan and the others were here, she would train down below in the space inside the Lookout. It was spacious and suited her needs for training with the kind of power she was packing now.

"Hello _Princess_ ," Qrow drawled, causing the girl to scowl. "Are you ready to continue? Or do you want another bucket of water dumped on your head?" he joked. Weiss growled as she summoned a blizzard to her hands. She was informed by Ozpin that she did not need her weapon when they began training. This was a purely magical power, and Myrtenaster would only inconvenience her here.

"If you're comfortable being an ice block, I would encourage you to stand still," Weiss remarked sourly. Qrow gave her a humorless laugh. She really was a lot like her sister, wasn't she? Albeit more childish and less professional, but still… a real Ice Queen in the making.

"I see you are starting to get the hang of your powers. The Maiden's powers aren't really limited to a certain element like you would first believe. All four Maidens can control any element they choose, it's the trigger that allows them to use those magical powers that is the key," Qrow explained. Weiss looked at her hands. A cold mystical energy swirled in her hands.

"So what does this mean? Before I was using fire…" Weiss noted. Qrow nodded.

"Power comes with control. Fire is unbound and savage. You were learning, and fire is a strong element, but it's quite uncontrollable and very unpredictable. Now that you are getting the feel of this power, its nature is changing to suit you. Amber was quite skilled in utilizing the weather, creating storms and whatnot," Qrow explained gesturing to her hands. "Ironically, it seems that you are unconsciously leaning toward ice."

"Are you joking? I hope that was a joke," Weiss scowled. Qrow rolled his eyes.

"Look, I'm not an expert. I only know from what I've seen of the power previously. Once a Maiden starts to control their power, they settle into a primary element. _Most_ of the time they start off with fire, but over time it changes. That's from my observation," he said. Weiss narrowed her eyes.

"Jeez, how helpful," the sarcasm was so present in her voice it made the older man crackle a bit. "So what, I'm actually an _Ice Queen_ now? How disappointingly unoriginal. Controlling the wind or shooting lightning bolts sounds _much_ cooler," Weiss sighed. She sounded mostly ungrateful, but Qrow knew she was doing it on purpose to annoy him.

"Anyway, you want to stop running your mouth and start practicing? If I stand here any longer, the skin will fall right off my bones," he taunted. Weiss growled.

"Maybe that might be a good thing," she shot back.

"How chilling, has your heart iced over?"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Make me."

Oh, she would, and she wouldn't stop until she'd made snow cones out of his stupid face!

* * *

He had stayed the night at the Xiao Long residence. Taiyang had offered to let him sleep there, and he gladly took it. Yang wasn't too comfortable with the idea, but after all that had happened, she couldn't find her voice to complain. She had locked herself in her room for the remainder of the night and opted to skip dinner.

Taiyang cooked for both his new guest and himself since Yang wasn't up to eating. Gohan told him a lot about what had happened since his awakening at Beacon Academy. He'd told the man everything he needed to know. From training his daughter right up until the moment she fought Cell after Ruby had been murdered. Suffice to say, the father of the Xiao Long family was most interested and intent on listening to all the details.

He couldn't fault the boy for training his daughter. She was learning new things, and it was entirely her idea. He didn't force it upon her, and he definitely wasn't aware of the battles she would have been facing. The Saiyan seemed as though he was doing it out of kindness, and didn't look to be repaid.

The truth about Mountain Glenn probably had the second biggest reaction out of Taiyang other than hearing about how Ruby had been killed. The idea that Qrow and Ozpin had kept that vital piece of information from him almost sent the man into a blind rage. His wife had vanished without a trace, and apparently, this boy was at the center of it all years ago.

He would have been mad if the boy had remembered it.

"So… Summer might still be alive?" Taiyang muttered slightly. Gohan sighed. They were sitting at the dinner table, their food already having been eaten. The father looked more depressed and in thought than anything else.

"I wouldn't know. I wish I did, but unfortunately, I don't recall anything of the event. I'm still looking for answers, but at the moment, Cell and Salem take priority," he responded sympathetically. Taiyang just sighed as he leaned back in his chair, a look of reminiscence on his face.

"It took me a long time to get over Summer's death. Qrow kept telling me she wouldn't come back; that she was gone forever. I didn't want to believe it. He seemed adamant that it was the truth. I can't believe even though he didn't see her die, that he thinks that she's dead," the father responded. Gohan shifted in his seat.

"I would like to believe she's still alive as well. The thought that I might have killed her in the crossfire of my battle with that unknown Android… I can't bear to think that I would have done something so careless," the hybrid uttered quietly. The lights above the table flickered, reflecting the ominous mood.

"I don't blame you," Taiyang started. "It would be foolish for me to blame you after all this time. I can see you're a good person, I don't need much more proof of that. You've helped my daughter, and you tried to save my youngest flower… I couldn't have asked any more from you," he said with a weak smile.

Gohan was about to respond, but the sound of footsteps sounded from behind him. Before he had the chance to look, the front door to the house opened and closed. It seemed that Yang was going to get some fresh air, or she was going to visit the graves. Either way, Gohan felt the need to go and comfort her. It just felt right to him.

"Ah…" the father sighed. "That girl is too headstrong for her own good. Sometimes it's a mission to get through to her. I remember helping her make her weapons back in Signal. It was all 'Dad, can I have rocket launcher gauntlets instead of shotguns?'," he laughed mirthlessly. Gohan cracked a smile. He tried to picture a younger Yang saying that.

"She's a real sweetheart though. She's protective and very aggressive… just like her mother. I remember when Ruby was born. Yang never let the girl out of her sight, not even once! It took both Qrow and me to pry her away from both Summer and Ruby!" Taiyang laughed. Another hollow laugh, it seemed like he was just talking to himself right now.

"Do you want me to go after her?" the Saiyan asked. Taiyang looked up, almost forgetting that the boy was actually sitting there. It wasn't the first time since Ruby's death that he had found himself lost in the abyss of bittersweet memories.

"Yeah… I think that might be for the best. I've done all I can for her right now. Like I said before, I think she needs her friends," Taiyang responded, as he stood up out of his seat. He collected the dishes and went over to the sink. Gohan took one last look at the man before exiting the house and making his way to Yang.

As Taiyang stood over the dishes, he looked out the window to see a black raven sitting on the branches in the pitch darkness of the night. He frowned, a slight tear dropping from his eyes. The red-eyed raven gazed at him as he looked back. He returned to washing the dishes.

In a moments notice, he pulled out one of the dishes and flung it behind him. It was blindingly fast. It headed straight towards its target. But whatever he was aiming at was unfazed, and caught it without even reacting. The figure placed the dish back on the table. Removing its white mask, it sat down at the opposite end of the table and gave the man a slight frown.

"That's not exactly how I expected to be greeted," a feminine voice responded curtly. Taiyang growled as he maneuvered himself back to the other end of the table.

"I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again," he snapped. Raven Branwen had entered the building, and tension that hadn't been felt in years between the two was now renewed. The woman merely smiled lightly.

"It doesn't mean I have to listen. Almost eighteen years ago you put a baby inside of me. I think I have the right to come and see her when I please," she replied. Taiyang's hands tightened around the edges of the table. If he clenched any harder the wood might have snapped.

"The _right_!? You left the night she was born! Summer had to pick up your slack! You lost the right to see Yang the moment you walked out that door and never looked back!" he growled threateningly. Raven scowled. How dare he judge her! After all the things she had been through!

"I had a responsibility to uphold. I _had_ no choice," she shot back. Taiyang scowled at her. He had grown up through Beacon with this woman on his team. It sickened him to admit that he once wanted to _marry_ this woman. Qrow had warned him against it, but the warning had fallen on deaf ears.

"You had a choice, and you _chose_ to abandon her," his words were venom. Raven despised being subjected to this kind of verbal lashing. But, she couldn't find it within herself to threaten him. Regardless of what choices she made in the past, and her beliefs, she still had some _feelings_ for this man in front of her. As much as it disgusted her to admit that, she would not lie to herself.

"Abandon is such a loose term. She still has her fallback card should she ever need it," Raven defended. Taiyang threw his head back in hysterical laughter. It was a mocking laughter, something that made the woman's eye twitch.

"What? You'll protect her _once_? How _kind_ of you that her own mother will only save her _once_ should _her_ daughter need it!" his words cut deep. When she refused to respond, he continued. "Qrow warned me about you, but I was so in love with you that I couldn't help myself," Taiyang growled. Raven snapped.

"I left because she deserved better than what I could offer!" Raven shot back, sending Taiyang into stunned silence. Raven bit down on her lip as her hands clenched. She leaned forward, her blood red eyes more apparent than ever before. Her pitch-black hair practically gleamed in the barely lit dining room.

"I was raised by _murderers_. By _thieves_! When I went to Beacon, I tried to learn, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to kick those old habits like my pathetic brother," Raven snarled. Taiyang scowled.

"Don't talk about Qrow like that. I may not like him that much, but he was a wonderful uncle when Yang and Ruby were around. They _adore_ him. He played the part of a loving uncle more than he had to, and for that… I respect him, more than I ever will respect _you_ ," he shot back. Raven looked livid.

"I couldn't stay. If I had, I would have brought more pain to this family then I ever would have. So I returned to the place where I _belonged_. I'm a killer, Tai. I don't spare my enemies, and I don't give them a shred of mercy. The weak live-"

"And the strong survive. Yeah, I know what you live your life by. It's just sad that you didn't even try," he cut her off. Raven's teeth clenched. She wanted nothing more than to raise a family, but unfortunately, life wasn't like that. You couldn't have everything you wanted. She was a fighter, a murderer. She wouldn't dare bring that to the only family she actually had feelings for.

She had a responsibility to lead her people. The people who raised her. The people who Qrow thought she viewed as family. But without a leader, that group would be nothing more than a pack of savage animals, just looking for the next target. She gave them purpose, a direction. She couldn't abandon them like that. Not when there were people like Cell and Salem still out there.

"I am trying to explain myself here."

"Your words are wasted. How long did it take you to come up with these words? Seventeen years? Don't take me for a fool Raven. I know _exactly_ what you're like," he shot back. Raven shot out of her seat and had Taiyang pinned against a wall. Her eyes were full of anger, and she was momentarily contemplating reaching for her sword.

"You don't know me as well as you might think," Raven spat. "Don't try to assume that I never cared… because you couldn't be more _wrong_." Raven dropped him and left without another word. Taiyang watched her go, glaring at her back as she disappeared through a portal. He didn't trust her.

And he wasn't sure if he ever would.

* * *

The Saiyan found the fiery blonde sitting under a tree near the graves. She was staring up at the night sky with a peaceful expression on her face. Her lilac eyes reflected the stars in an almost poetic fashion. She looked much better after having expelled all that pent-up emotion from earlier. She saw the Saiyan approach out of the corner of her eyes.

"Oh… hey Gohan," she started rather depressively. He took a seat next to her and leaned on the bark of the tree. He followed her gaze to find a perfect gap in the leaves to see the night sky. It was beautiful, the tranquility of the atmosphere was intoxicating. If he wasn't careful, he might just fall asleep right then!

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked. Yang gave a hefty sigh and smiled weakly.

"A little better actually. My emotions have been chaotic lately. I'm sorry for attacking you and saying those horrible things to you. You didn't deserve it at all, you were only trying to help," Yang apologized, looking away as she did so. She couldn't meet his eyes, she felt so ashamed and embarrassed by her actions earlier. She didn't blame him, but she said she did anyway.

"It's alright. I know how you feel. I know what it's like to lose the people closest to you," Gohan replied softly. Yang edged herself closer to the boy. He was warm, and it was quite cold outside. She was starting to feel a chill run down her skin, but it seemed that being closer to the boy warmed her up a bit.

"What's it like where you come from?" she asked suddenly. Gohan was somewhat taken aback by the question. He frowned as he let his head rest against the tree. The horrors of his world were something he had trouble relieving, but since he was trying to regain her trust, he would bear with them.

"It was different from Remnant. There were lots of cities… no Grimm to worry about. The biggest threats were the people themselves really. It wasn't until the Androids came that things got out of hand," Gohan explained. Yang looked up at him, she was surprised. She wasn't sure why, but the idea that the world he came from had no Grimm was something that she found interesting.

"What was it like? Having no Grimm. I find it hard to imagine living in a world like that. Grimm being a constant threat is something I've grown up with," Yang questioned. Gohan had to smile as he remembered his time in the East District. While there were no Grimm about, there were undoubtedly wild animals and dinosaurs to be concerned about.

"There was still wildlife. I lived out in a place called the 'East District' with my mom and my dad. It was a peaceful place, and it was well away from civilization. Big cities and towns weren't really ideal for us. We had friends that lived in the cities though, like Bulma and Yamcha," the Saiyan explained. He found that Yang's head was rested on his shoulder.

A light blush crossed his face as her long golden hair flowed down his right arm. She wasn't concerned with the gesture, so he didn't have the heart to complain. It wasn't like he didn't like having her head rested well on his shoulder. It was actually calming and peaceful if he had to admit.

"But yeah, I mostly lived out in the wild. I ended up studying most of the time, but that was before most of the battles I ended up being thrown into. The Androids appearing was when I actually had to leave home and help defend the planet," he elaborated. Yang shifted, and Gohan froze. She was clutching his arm and holding him closer.

"What happened?" she asked. The blush on Gohan's cheeks faded as he remembered the fires he had come across on his first encounter with the Androids. The stench of death and fire was apparent, even still he could smell it, just from memory. That poor city was gone in mere seconds. Wiped from existence.

"They brought death and destruction wherever they went. No one could stop them… not even the strongest of us," Gohan recalled. Yang looked up at him, her lilac eyes gazing into his dark ones. She could see unfathomable amounts of pain in them. It was almost like she could look into his past through what was reflected in his eyes.

"You weren't the strongest?" she exclaimed in mild surprise. Gohan merely shook his head.

"No, in fact when they first appeared, I was probably one of the weakest of the group due to my inexperience in combat. I couldn't stand to fight even one of them without being beaten half to death. I was powerful, but I was still only nine years old," Gohan replied. Yang's eyes widened.

"B-But you're so strong now! You seem virtually unbeatable!" she responded. Gohan chuckled lowly.

"I only got this way out of necessity. After people started dying, I had no choice but to train and grow stronger. It was the only way that I could survive, to keep the fires of hope burning," he said solemnly. Yang could feel the pain in his voice, it wasn't pleasant, and she felt sorry for asking, but she _had_ to know. She wanted to know, and she didn't care how selfish she was… she just wanted to understand.

"How many died?" she questioned, knowing she wasn't going to like the answer. Gohan's eyes closed, a small sign of horrible regret as he recalled the numbers. He wasn't sure how many exactly perished, but he knew a roughly correct estimate.

"Billions."

"Oh my _god_ …"

And just like that, she realized just how much he had desired peace. He had been fighting against two _monsters_. Cell was only another one. She thought she had seen it all when Cell had ruthlessly slaughtered that entire town. How could such a being be so heartless? She could understand the Grimm, they were mindless creatures that craved destruction.

But Cell?

Regardless how he looked, he had intelligence. He had a mind and a soul. How could someone take the lives of _so_ many people and not feel a single shred of remorse!? Not only that, but he seemed genuinely happy about it. This monster… if nobody could stop him, Remnant would become a hollow shell with no one left to walk the planet!

"The Androids never stopped. It was a game to them. After our fights, they would keep some of us alive just to make sure they had future entertainment. They knew we would grow stronger, but they also knew it would be never enough. Each time we fought… someone lost their life," the hybrid Saiyan recalled.

First, it had been Yamcha.

Then it was Tien.

Krillin followed shortly after.

Then Vegeta.

It was just himself and Piccolo left to defend the planet, and it still hadn't been enough. Shortly after, in the next fight, regardless how strong they had both grown, it wasn't enough to bring down the insane duo. They had left Gohan alive after killing Piccolo. It was his twelfth birthday, and his present was a dead mentor.

The Androids thought it would be kind enough to leave him at least that. It had been enough motivation for him to transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time. He had screamed, the land around him had crumbled. The sky had blackened, and the world around him turned into a blinding hot explosion of pure rage.

He was alone, and his war against the Androids would not end until four years later. It was when he had discovered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Mr. Popo had warned him of the dangers of going in alone, but at that point, he had nothing left to lose. Bulma and Trunks were helpless and defenseless. He needed to grow strong, and he was willing to sacrifice whatever it took for him to become strong enough to defend them.

He was lucky he was so driven. Otherwise, he would have lost his mind in that place.

"That's horrible! How did you… how did it end?" she asked. A dark look crossed his face. It wasn't that long ago. In fact, it felt like just yesterday when he did it. The memory was surrounded by fire and darkness. It had been the day he had finally erased the two demons, but the nightmares still lingered. Even if it involved the death of the Androids, he had sacrificed a part of himself that he knew he would never get back.

"It ended just like you would think…" Gohan said. "In a bloody final battle."

* * *

 _Years Earlier on Earth. Age 771_

Stepping out of the time chamber, Son Gohan, sixteen years of age, made his way toward the exit of the Lookout Temple. Outside was the genie himself, Mr. Popo. The lonely genie was watering some plants while he waited for the boy to exit the chamber. It was a last resort call. Placing someone of Gohan's age into the Time Chamber had so many risks, but it seemed that it had paid off.

His fighting clothing was ripped and tattered, and he stood firm and tall, clad in his Super Saiyan form. He had mastered the control of the form, so it no longer drained his stamina. He felt comfortable in it, and it was something that he knew would help him to finally destroy the Androids.

"Ah, Gohan!" Popo rushed over to the boy. The sixteen-year-old Saiyan regarded the black genie. He had been through an amazing change. His body was toned, and no longer had any baby fat on it. He looked deadly serious, and power radiated from his very being. If you watched close enough, you might be able to see that he was actually glowing slightly.

"Hello, Mr. Popo. How has everything been while I've been gone?" the boy asked. The genie looked downcast.

"I'm afraid the Androids have destroyed two more cities. Their whereabouts are unknown. I suggest you return to Bulma and young Trunks to wait for their next move," the genie informed. Gohan nodded as he took a spare, clean pair of fighting clothes that Mr. Popo had laid out for him. He was grateful for the genie, always so helpful.

"Thank you," Gohan replied as he slipped out of his clothes and into the fresh new ones. "Next time I see you, those Androids will be gone. That's a promise. This war ends the moment I find them," Gohan made his way to the edge of the Lookout and dived off, not even letting the black genie reply.

Shooting down through the clouds at speeds that have never been seen before. He landed just outside Capsule Corp. The building that had taken its fair share of damage. He walked down the steps and made his way to an all too familiar looking lab. It had only been a day for them, but for him… it had been over a year.

A year of non-stop training.

"Hey," Gohan's voice broke the silence. Bulma was working on blueprints for a time machine while Trunks was practicing how to control his energy. Gohan had watched over the boy until he opted to go into the Time Chamber to learn how. He wanted to take Trunks, but Bulma refused. The boy was only seven, she wouldn't have her baby boy training in such harsh conditions.

"Oh my gosh!" Bulma exclaimed looking up from her desk. Gohan had been fifteen last time she had seen him. He had grown almost a foot taller, and his hair looked longer. He looked far more toned and fit than he did a day ago. She couldn't imagine the kind of training he had done in that chamber, but it seemed to have worked.

"You look so different!" she ran over and looked at the boy up and down. No offense to Chi-Chi, but Gohan was practically a son to her. He was like an older brother to Trunks, and he spent more time around Capsule Corp than he did in the East District.

"Gohan!" Trunks called out as he rushed and tackled the older hybrid Saiyan. Gohan barely budged as the small seven-year-old hit him dead on. Gohan ruffled the small boy's hair. Having not seen Trunks for over a year, he missed the little guy. He looked up at Gohan, a gleam of admiration in his eyes. Gohan looked stronger than ever.

"Are you strong enough to beat them now? Can do you it?" Trunks asked. Gohan looked the boy in the eyes and smiled bravely.

"I won't know until I try," he responded. The gleam in Trunks's eyes remained. The boy saw Gohan as his hero. The other Z Fighters hadn't been around long enough for the boy to get to know any of them. He only knew Gohan, but that was okay. To him, Gohan was the strongest person he knew, and the boy believed that he would be the one to end the nightmare.

"Well, come on in Gohan, I'll make us some tea. You can tell us about your training, while you rest up," Bulma said. Gohan nodded eagerly as he followed the older woman. It wasn't long before they were all sat down at the table drinking a lovely home-brewed cup of tea. He was grateful for this, he hadn't felt this relaxed since he entered the Time Chamber.

Trunks had his toys at the table and was casually playing with them as he listened to Gohan's story about his experience in the Time Chamber. It became apparent that it was probably for the better that Trunks didn't go. Gohan was subjected to the harshest temperature conditions, fluctuations in gravity, and all around the hardest training he had ever done.

Trunks was strong in his own right, but him going in there would have been suicide for the boy.

"So… do you think you can do it now?" she asked. Gohan looked down at his almost empty mug of tea. He was now surer than ever that he could take those Androids out. He knew he could. He was stronger than ever. Piccolo had been able to hold his own against 17 before he was knocked out and killed by the two Androids.

Gohan knew he was miles ahead of Piccolo now. He was comfortable he could take them, but he would be on guard and alert. Arrogance had cost Vegeta his life. He wasn't going to make the same mistake here. There was too much to lose. He was the last hope, and Trunks was still far too young. If he failed here, Trunks would be forced to endure what he had for the coming years.

"I'm certain," Gohan said in determination. "I can end this nightmare. Once and for all," He replied darkly. Bulma gave a happy sigh of relief just as the radio went off. Its static, and explosions in the background, informed the listeners before words were even spoken that the Androids were up to no good again.

"The Androids are back in South City! We need help! We need-" an explosion cut off the broadcast. Bulma turned to Gohan to find that he wasn't even there anymore. He was already on his way. She didn't even notice him move, and neither did Trunks. She could only pray that he would be alright.

Unfortunately, this would be the last they would see of the young boy for a very long time.

Flying through the skies of Earth, the son of Goku sped towards South City. Humans had tried to come back and rebuild the large city, but it seemed to be a famous spot for the Androids to go back and commit mass genocide in. Try as they might, it was a hopeless struggle against an unstoppable force. That stopped today. The Saiyan Hybrid was going to make sure.

He came to a screeching stop above the city. He could see them floating above the ruins firing off energy blasts wherever there was life. It sickened him. With an explosion of rage, he powered up. A brilliant golden aura glowing around him. It was time to end this nightmare. They died _now_.

He shot down at blinding speeds and nailed 17 in the back of the head. He was sent spiraling down towards the city and hit the road with a loud explosion. Android 18 didn't have time to react before Gohan had grabbed her and thrown her into a nearby building. A loud crash was heard as the building crumbled in on itself.

After a few moments, the Androids floated up next to each other and faced off against the young hybrid Saiyan. The dark look on his face was reflected by their annoyed looking ones. The black twin looked more amused than his blonde counterpart. She was absolutely livid that the boy had trashed her new dress.

"You… we let you live, and you come and mess up my new pair of clothes. No more second chances, you die now!" she immediately started firing, but the blasts seemed to go right through the male Saiyan. She recoiled in slight horror as she saw her bursts had no effect. Her brother was just as surprised.

"This time," Gohan started as he powered up again, golden bolts of electricity circled his being. "It's going to be a much different story. This nightmare ends now, I hope you're ready," Gohan spat, hatred laced every single word that left his mouth. Android 17 chuckled.

"Gohan right? Look, you know how this works. You may be strong, but you can't beat the two of us," he laughed in amusement. His sister didn't seem to know what was so funny. She was still glaring death at the boy for trashing her new outfit. She had killed people for much less, so she had no problem putting this kid down once and for all.

"You've said enough," Gohan growled. He vanished and appeared right in front of 17. Both Androids were momentarily stunned by the sheer speed the boy displayed. He grabbed 17's arm and used him as a weapon to throw against 18. He collided with her sending them hurling into a nearby mountain. Gohan took advantage of this and charged an energy blast.

"Masenko HAA!"

The blast thundered towards the two Androids. They didn't have time to block before the attack engulfed them fully. This wouldn't be enough, however, and Gohan knew they would be back for more, and angrier than they had ever been. It had probably been the best shot he had ever gotten on them.

An energy blast shot out of the rubble. Gohan backhanded it into the sky. It was mere seconds before he found both Androids on either side of him, coming in for an attack. At that moment, fear almost took hold of him, but his training kicked in, and he brought up his guard. All of their attacks were dodged, blocked or parried.

"You got good!" 17 commented as he landed a blow to Gohan's stomach. He broke through the boy's guard, allowing 18 to deliver a painful elbow to the back of the neck. Gohan was rocketed towards the ground, but he adjusted and landed on his feet before he hit it. He looked up to see the Androids in the sky preparing to blast him into oblivion.

A volley of energy blasts exploded from their hands and thundered down towards Gohan. It looked like a barrage of death, but Gohan knew he would be able to withstand something like this. Bringing up a small energy barrier that stopped all incoming damage seemed to do the trick.

The city seemed to take most of the damage, but Gohan was left unfazed. It appeared that their attack had done nothing to damage him. There was obvious anger on their faces when the smoke cleared, showing that Gohan had practically managed to evade all damage they were trying to inflict. 18 growled, knowing all too well that this battle was not going the way she wanted.

"How the hell did this kid get so strong?" she muttered darkly. 17 had to agree, this was strange. They hadn't encountered anyone this powerful before, and a week ago when they had fought this kid, he hadn't been able to hold his own against 18 without almost dying. He had escaped like a coward, but it seemed that something had changed.

"How did you get so strong is such a short amount of time?" 17 called out to the boy. Gohan merely ignored him, favoring to cup his hands and prepare for the next attack. A bright blue ball of energy grew in Gohan's hands. By the time 17 and 18 had realized what he was doing, it was too late.

"Kamehame… HA!"

The attack itself was so fast that only 18 was able to dive out of the way in time. 17 attempted to pull up an energy shield, but the blue energy wave completely ripped right through the shield. He was engulfed in the attack, screaming as the attack ripped him to shreds. Luckily, he was able to come out alive but severely injured.

When the light faded, 17 was missing an arm. Both Androids were shocked when they saw that 17's left arm had been completely blown off. The attack had cauterized the wound, but it still caused 17 to almost faint in shock. He wasn't a Namekian, and he certainly wasn't capable of getting another arm, Android or not… they had killed their creator.

"17! Are you okay!?" 18 screamed. 17 looked at his sister like she had grown a second head.

"OKAY!? DO I LOOK OKAY, 18?! HE BLEW OFF MY FUCKING ARM!" he screamed in pain. Gohan took off into the air and delivered a sucker punch to the injured Androids stomach. He gave them no time to rest and recover as spittle flew out of his mouth, mixed with blood. Twirling, Gohan caught 18 and kicked her into the side of a building.

Gohan adjusted and caught a sneak attack from 17. He tightened his grip of the last hand that 17 had. The Android looked murderous. As Gohan glared into the blue eyes of the Android. His blood-shot eyes were shaking in white fury. Even now, the Android was trying to figure out how to end his life.

"Kid, I'm going to make sure you SUFFER!" 17 screamed. The Android brought up a leg, only to have it smacked away by the demi-Saiyan. Gohan tightened his grip even more, crushing all the bones in 17's remaining hand, and destroying all the cybernetic implants that Gero had made.

"17!" 18 screamed as she shot out of the wreckage she had been kicked into. Gohan kicked 17 away and engaged in a battle against 18. With her brother barely in any condition to fight, Gohan was left with 18 now. She looked furious. Her eyes, desperately trying to find an opening to kill him. Unfortunately, there was none.

Gohan forced 18 to overextend, and in an act of brutal aggression, he brought down his arm and promptly snapped her elbow, thus breaking the rest of her right arm in the process. The scream of agonized pain echoed across the city. It a fit of rage, 18 let her power explode. Gohan was unprepared for it and took most of the blast.

His smoking form was sent spiraling to the ground. He landed hard on his back, indenting the ground. He was far from being done. He was only slightly damaged, and even now, with his fighting clothes he had only just received a few hours ago in tatters, he was already standing up to face the Android menace again.

He watched as 18 landed a few meters away from him, 17 slowly floating down next to her. He brought up his hands and powered up to maximum. It was time he showed them the fear that he had endured for all these years. It was finally time to make them pay. All cards were now on the table, and he would make them feel all the suffering they had caused.

No mercy would be found today.

"We should have killed you," 17 growled. Gohan remained impassive.

"Yeah. You should have," he shot back. 18 looked even more livid than she did before. Her right arm hung loosely at her side. The pain and agony on her face was reflected by her mountains of rage and anger. The Androids were finally meeting their match at the hands of the demi-Saiyan they had willingly spared so many times in the past.

"How… how did you get this strong!?" 18 snapped. In response, Gohan merely started walking forward. His father did this against Freeza. The mere memory of it gave him the strength and courage he needed to finish off these blasted Androids.

"This is the end for you," Gohan declared as he approached them. Both twin Androids took a step back in unison. They both realized at that very moment just how powerful he was. They stood no chance, and for the first time in seven years, genuine fear found its way onto their faces. The devil himself had come to claim their souls, and his name was Son Gohan.

"I hope you enjoy it."

He vanished. For a brief moment, there was silence. Then it happened.

The sound of flesh tearing was heard. 18 looked to her side to see Gohan's arm impaled right through her brother's chest. 17 barely registered the blow, only looking down as all the energy in his body left him. When Gohan pulled his fist away, he collapsed without another word. A ghostly look of shock on his face as all the life left his eyes.

He was dead.

18 screamed, a voice of anguish echoed off the barren city. Gohan turned to her. Her teary eyes looked up into his dark ones. They promised no mercy. She backed away, fear taking hold of her fragile body. He approached with more steps as she took multiple steps back. How had this all happened? How had their perfect world just crumbled around them in mere minutes!? It wasn't fair!

"Y-You killed him! He- he was my b-brother!" her choked voice was evident. If Gohan wasn't so focused on ending her life, he might have felt sorry for her. But he reminded himself of how many lives these two had taken. He remembered their faces when they did. They took _pleasure_ in ending the lives of so many people. Billions of people had met their end because of them.

"Stay away from me!" she fired off a few blasts. They hit home but did virtually no damage. They seemed to sink into his brilliant golden aura. His disgusted face scowled even further, the hatred seeping out of his eyes, his mouth quivering with the sheer desire to end her life.

"Say your prayers." Gohan held up a hand, charging an enormous amount energy. He watched as 18 fell back, her eyes pleading for mercy. She had no longer found the desire to fight back. She just sat there watching the blast grow larger. He stared at her, uncaring.

This was the part of him he sacrificed.

Mercy would not be given to those like these two. They had caused too much pain. He wasn't his father. He would not give mercy to those like Freeza. He would destroy them all, and all those who threatened the innocent. This was the end for her. And she knew it. There was no escape. Into oblivion, and she was too terrified to even move.

The blast exploded from his hand. She didn't even find the voice to scream as the explosion disintegrated every part of her. When the dust cleared, she was gone. Gohan made short work of 17, making sure there were no remains to be found. Making sure he had purged every single last bit of them. They wouldn't be tormenting this world any longer.

The rain started to pour, thunder echoing this empty city.

"Finally, it's over."

* * *

"Seven years of torture… of hiding, running and praying… hoping that one day we would be free of them. It all ended that day. I moved onto Dr. Gero's lab, but then I shortly found myself waking up on Remnant moments later," Gohan recounted absently. Yang was enthralled by the story. She felt his hand grip hers rather firmly.

Every small detail that he had spoken, she was able to almost visualize it. The battle, the emotion. It was in his words. It was hard not to practically live that battle with him as he told it. He had sacrificed his capability to give even a shred of mercy to those soulless killers. His kind soul… the friend that she had come to know over the month that she had known him… it was chilling to even picture him like that.

"I hope you never have to experience what I went through. Waking up every day, alone. Forced to fight a losing battle that you know you can never win. Beaten within an inch of your life only to escape and return home, realizing how many more people were going to die because you failed. It's torture… I won't let anyone go through that."

She heard his story, but she still couldn't imagine how hopeless he would have felt. To defend his entire planet against a force so much stronger than he was...

"I'm… I'm so sorry," Yang whispered. It was worse than she had ever imagined. His desire for a peaceful life seemed even more apparent to her than before. The truth of his origins, the battle he had been fighting for so many years. She knew it all now. She knew what he had been through, and she couldn't even compare or realize just how burnt out he was.

And she had said all those terrible things to him…

"I'm _sorry_!" she cried. She threw her arms around him. He accepted the embrace. "I never meant anything of what I said! I was hurt… I was-" She was cut off by Gohan wrapping his warm arms around her. He pulled her closer.

"It's alright. Like I said, I understand. I've lost people too, I know _exactly_ how it feels. But unlike me, you have friends to help you. I'm here to help you. I won't let you go through this all on your own," Gohan soothed her tears. She buried her head into his chest, her eyes drenching his top. How could he forgive her that easily?

"Please… _forgive_ me…" she cried. "I want… I…" she couldn't find her words. Gohan pulled her closer to him. She was a wreck, his story really brought the emotional and softer side out of her. He was touched that she found the need to react this way, like it was all her fault or something. The way her tears streamed down her face, he could tell she felt incredibly guilty.

"I forgive you," he smiled softly. Yang's long blonde hair was like a soft pillow as Gohan rested his chin on her head. She sunk into his embrace even more, the warmth of his body comforting her, making her feel safe and secure again. Blake was her best friend, but Gohan… he had become something much more than just a friend to her… she had these feelings that had been developing…

And now it seemed they were blooming to full fruition. She could no longer lie to herself and deny how she felt when she was around him. All her confusing emotions that had been running wild over the past few days had stopped, and at this moment, there was one that rang out true among them all.

Love.

She didn't want this moment to end. She could lie in his arms for hours, for the rest of the night. She wouldn't be lying if she admitted that she wanted to sleep this way. In his embrace. She had genuinely fallen for this boy. A part of her wanted to smack him for even daring to make her feel this way, but the more dominant side had won her over. She felt content to lie here.

With him, under the stars.

It was like every girls' dream.

"Thank you…" her voice was croaky from her tears.

She crawled further into his lap and made herself comfortable, much to the Saiyan's ire. She snuggled into his embrace, daring fate to interrupt this moment. She would destroy anyone that would ever dare utter a peep. Luckily for her, nothing did, and they lay in silence watching the stars.

Feeling brave, she lifted her head and planted an affectionate kiss on his cheek.

He was momentarily stunned at the action. Before their eyes could meet, she buried her head back into his chest and closed her eyes. Her face was blushing furiously, her face heating up. But she welcomed the giddy feeling. She could feel his heartbeat speed up the moment she did it too. She gave herself a small smirk before she slowly drifted off to sleep.

"...Yang?" the Hybrid questioned. His face was still red from the affectionate action. He looked down to find that she once again had her head buried in his chest. He could _feel_ her heartbeat as he held her. It practically vibrated her entire body. After a few seconds of momentary shock, he smiled. He pulled her closer.

He lifted his head and watched the stars. He wondered how Trunks and Bulma were doing. He didn't know how to get home, and quite frankly, a part of him didn't want to. He was here in Remnant, and he had seemingly built a life here. The only problem was that his horrible past had seemed to follow him here.

After about ten minutes, it was clear that the rhythmic breathing coming from Yang signaled that she had fallen asleep. Gohan smiled as he gently picked her up bridal style. He would carry her back to her bed. Making his way through the forest, he pushed open the door to the Xiao Long residence and made his way upstairs.

Walking past Ruby's room, he pushed open Yang's bedroom door and carefully placed her on her bed. He threw the covers over her, and she snuggled into the warmth of her bed. He stared at her for a few moments, a happy and caring smile on his face. He exited the room and closed the door behind him. It became apparent to him as he walked down the stairs and placed himself on the couch that Yang felt like much more than an ordinary friend.

He wasn't stupid. That kiss was more akin to a confession.

She was a bold girl, that was just her nature, and it became obvious to him...

He had a lot to think about.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So that's that. Some of you might have a problem with the fact that I solved the whole Yang issue to early. All I have to say to that is: I don't want to focus on unneeded drama. I feel as though I've fleshed out their characters enough in this situation and any longer would feel like padding for the sake of padding. This isn't a romantic drama story, so getting this much feels like it's enough.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it, and expect the next chapter in about two and a half weeks.**

 **Discord Link:** **discord. gg/JrnKzyx**

 **Just remove the spaces!**


	13. No Turning Back

**A/N:**

 **Welcome back to yet another entry in this strange little thing I have going here. Not much to say here apart from the fact that my collaboration story with dmoose18 has been put on hold for now, for undisclosed reasons. If you are eager for that story, I ask that you just be patient. If you are interested in my writing, I would implore you check out my profile and see the other stories I am working on in the background! #Shameless Plug.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me this far guys! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 _Chapter Thirteen: No Turning Back_

A small fire burnt brightly in the middle of a camp.

It's flames reflected off her emerald green eyes as she stared absently into the flame. She was on first watch, but mostly she would handle all the shifts, considering she was the most capable. She never liked to complain about it anyway. It gave her time to think and ponder the events leading up to this moment. It had still taken her by surprise, all the chaos and mayhem that had sprouted up inside of her life so quickly. All of it was tied to these new powers she had been learning and mastering. It was a tedious process, a lot of repetition, but then again, that was training. Making sure you knew all the basics by heart before moving onto the more advanced techniques.

Pyrrha Nikos glanced at her team's sleeping forms, a small smile gracing her face. They were safe and sound for the moment, and they were here with her, unharmed and away from any serious danger. It had been just over a month since the fall of Vale, and Cell's sudden silence was bothering her. What could have happened to force that monster into hiding? Had Gohan done more damage than he thought? It never seemed to make any sense to her. She had seen it regrow limbs in just under a few minutes. What kind of damage could Gohan possibly have done to the monster to force him into silence?

Unless the boy was wrong and Cell was truly dead, but that didn't feel right either.

She knew Cell was still out there, and trying to convince herself that he was dead was not doing her any favors. She needed to be prepared for the worst, that way nothing could surprise her. Her ki was more than enough to deal with Grimm of any shape, size or power. They felt fragile, as if they were made of glass with this power. Her strength crushed them like clay, and her energy erased them as if they never existed at all. She had to put up with Nora complaining about her taking all the fun. Pyrrha was thankful that Jaune and Ren were supportive of her being able to take care of the more dangerous enemies.

Team JNPR was well on their way to Mistral. They had started off a few days ago and they were already making headway. They often camped at night after clearing the area of Grimm, but to Pyrrha, she was watching out for more viable threats than Grimm. Now that Cell's identity had been revealed to the world, the negativity had almost spiraled out of control. Bandits ran amok and killers were lurking in the dark, not to mention the more ancient Grimm that had been hiding for years were starting to wake up and prowl the lands.

As she sat on the log that had been placed around the small camp, she kept her senses stretched out wide. Making sure that no living creature would come near them without her knowing about it. She was starting to become very proficient at sensing danger, and she noticed a vast improvement of energy control. Things were starting to get easier for her. Summoning her energy was almost becoming second nature to her, as well as using small blasts from time to time in her fighting style.

Over the week or two since they had left for Mistral, they knew it was going to be a tough journey. How long it was going to take was unknown. Pyrrha had virtually no idea how to teach her teammates how to fly. She didn't exactly know how to apply the practical learning she had gotten from Gohan to words. The rest of her team would practice every night, but none of them aside from Ren showed any promise in getting it. Jaune and Nora had looked at her with blank expressions when she had told them to find a colorful ball of energy inside themselves. Nora even thought it was some kind of innuendo!

Pyrrha sighed as she summoned a bright ball of energy to her hands, willing it to dance across her fingertips. It was a mixture of red and gold. An interesting colour no doubt. Pyrrha wondered if her aura being red had anything to do with the fact that her inner energy was seemingly a similar color. Whenever she trained with her energy, she found it was as if her soul was reflecting the strides she was making in her ki progression.

"Hey," a voice broke the silence. Pyrrha looked over to see Jaune slightly awake. He was gazing at her from his sleeping bag. He looked concerned. It was then Pyrrha realized she had been gazing into the fire with a blank, emotionless expression plastered across her face.

"Jaune… you should really get some sleep," Pyrrha suggested quietly. He shuffled out of his sleeping bag and dragged himself over next to her. He sat on the ground next to her while Pyrrha remained on the log. He gave her a supportive smile.

"Not that tired. Thought I might help you keep watch. You know… with all those monsters out there," he responded. They both stared quietly into the fire. It hadn't been long, but the death of Ruby still weighed heavily on their minds. For Jaune it was terrible, he had known the girl so well. She had been the first person he had met at Beacon. It was heart-breaking to learn of her demise at the hands of Cell. For a time, Jaune didn't talk much, only voicing his opinion in what they should be doing. He wasn't a fool to try and suggest they go after Cell. Everyone had seen the feats he was capable of.

It would be suicide to try and fight him the way they were.

"Even with your power now, you're still just Pyrrha Nikos."

"That is very kind of you Jaune," Pyrrha responded. She wondered if she should tell him. Her constant fear of breaking the team dynamic was overwhelming. Her feelings for the stupid blonde grew by the day, and they only seemed to be getting more and more obvious as time went on. She just wished she could tell him. However, with everything that had happened recently, she was becoming increasingly worried that the life of a huntsman could end so abruptly. She didn't want to die with regrets. She couldn't imagine the kind of pain Ruby felt moments before her death.

She was only fifteen, and she had so much more to live for. They all did...

"Jaune…" _screw it_. Caution was thrown to the wind. "How do you feel about me?" she asked. Jaune turned to her with a surprised expression. She refused to meet his eyes, and continued to look longingly into the fire. It gave her a sense of peace, a clarity of vision. She felt calm and her nerves were not acting up as much as she would have thought, but the moment the words left her mouth, she felt her heartbeat accelerate. The pounding in her ears became more apparent the longer the silence went on. She pleaded to whatever god existed, that Jaune break the silence as soon as possible.

Thankfully, her prayers were answered.

"W-what do you mean?" he asked with a surprised expression. Pyrrha frowned slightly.

"You know what I mean," she shot back quickly. It was quick and fast. It hit the blonde like a truck as his face seemingly was frozen in a trance. He slowly turned his head back to the fire, deep in thought. Pyrrha took this the wrong way, and took his silence as the answer. She frowned further, her heart dropping in the process.

"I see," she muttered. Jaune spun towards her, a look of panic spreading across his face.

"No! That's not what I meant! I… I just…" he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. Why did this always have to be so difficult? Why now of all times? He was just so unprepared for a question like that. "I just needed time to process the question, that's all," Jaune replied quickly. Pyrrha just looked at him quizzically. What could he possibly need to think about? It wasn't a hard question to answer, surely not. Maybe… he still had feelings for Weiss? It was painful enough to watch his attempts at wooing her back in Beacon, and it was even worse when he had asked her how to ask Weiss out. However Jaune had changed, and Pyrrha was absolutely sure he had picked up on her feelings for him by now.

He had to!

He wasn't that dense!

"So…?" she drawled, waiting for an answer. Jaune sighed.

"Why ask me now? Why not before? Before all of… this," Jaune gestured to the campfire. She knew what he had meant by that. Why not ask him before when everything was going alright for them. Why not ask him when they were going to the dance. The way he asked, it seemed like he had always known. That made her slightly angry.

"I was scared, and I'm not going to lie… Ruby dying has opened my eyes to how cruel this world actually is… We are constantly in the line of danger, and I feel like we don't have the time to second guess ourselves," Pyrrha explained. Jaune listened intently to her answer. After she was finished, he just frowned a little.

"I always assumed that you were too far out of my reach," Jaune said honestly. Pyrrha recoiled slightly at that. He had always said that she was just Pyrrha to him. His teammate, so why did it seem like he was placing her on a pedestal that was far out of his reach? Now it seemed like she was too far away to reach down and pull him up to her!

"Why would you think that? I'm just… I'm just _me_ ," Pyrrha exclaimed. Nora and Ren had woken up to listen to their conversation, but both of them lay still. They didn't dare to disturb a moment like this. It had been building since their first day together at Beacon. The way Pyrrha longed for Jaune to look at her like all the other girls… Nora and Ren both saw it. Nora had tried to play match maker at times, only to be stopped by Ren. He had lectured her about letting it happen naturally, and that forcing the two together wouldn't do them any favors in the long run. They all saw that Pyrrha desired companionship, something she was denied all her life, and Jaune seemed to be the one boy who could give her that.

And he never even looked her way…

Not even once.

"I guess…" Jaune trailed off as he shrugged. "I guess I just never thought about it. You're beautiful Pyrrha. That has never been a doubt to me, but I just couldn't," Jaune tried to explain. Pyrrha seemed to be getting even more shaky as his words drew on. She couldn't understand his process of thought.

"Why did you not say anything? Do you…" Pyrrha's tone of voice got wildly high. She had to place her hand on her forehead in an attempt to logically calm herself down. Her emotions were starting to run wild, and she had no idea how Nora and Ren hadn't woken up yet.

"Do you have any idea," Pyrrha started, her sea green eyes gazing into Jaune's blue ones, almost in a predatory fashion. "How long I have felt the way I do about you?" Pyrrha almost growled. Jaune didn't know whether to be scared or confused. Just the way she was looking at him made him feel uncomfortable in a number of different ways.

"Uhm," Jaune drawled dumbly. "I don't know, maybe since the danc-" he was cut off as Pyrrha pounced him. The two fell onto the ground, making quite a bit of noise. Nora giggled slightly while Ren shushed her from his sleeping bag. The two shared a quiet look as they slowly turned their heads to see that Pyrrha had been so bold as to mount Jaune right then and there.

"Pyrrha..! What are you…!?" his voice was drowned out by her enticing gaze. Her face was seemingly packed with a sense of lust. It was clearly there in her eyes, he was just too scared to say a word. Her face got closer to his, and he could feel her hot breath on his lips. He could have sworn a string of saliva dropped from her mouth and hit his face.

"I'm _sick_ and _tired_ of waiting," Pyrrha muttered. "Life is too short for people like us to be hesitating on ridiculous things like this," she growled. Before Jaune could say anything, she did what she had been longing to do the moment she found him in that forest. The sheer _pleasure_ of the action was enough to send shivers down her spine.

She slammed her lips against his.

Jaune found it sudden and strangely comforting. The moment he felt her; wet, soft, enthralling lips on his, he didn't want it to end. It was a very strange feeling for him. He had been pecked by his sisters on his cheek from time to time, but that was strictly family love, nothing more. This however… this was filled to the brim with desire and lust. Just from the kiss alone, he could tell that she wanted him _bad_.

"Sheesh! It's about time!" Nora broke the mood. Pyrrha rocketed from Jaune so fast she might as well have flown into the sky. A deep shade of red, camouflaged mostly by the fire, spread across her face like spilled tomato paste. Had Nora and Ren been pretending to be asleep!? The embarrassment was almost too much to bear! She felt like she wanted to cry, her spontaneous confession had been a stage performance to her entire team! Nora of all people had been one of the people to see it! Pyrrha's lips curled giving off the look of a sulky child, like she had been caught red handed doing something she clearly shouldn't have been doing.

"I'm…- It's not what it looks like!" Pyrrha denied, blurting out the words without thinking. Nora laughed and Ren shrugged.

"Oh come off it sistah! You were totally sucking face just then. We all saw it. Hell, Jaune was _experiencing_ it! Speaking of… how was it lover boy?" Nora grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. Jaune was stuck to the ground, shock clear in his face. He was clearly hypnotised by the thought of her lips that he was still just lying there in silence.

"You okay Jaune?" Ren asked with amused concern. Jaune mumbled just loud enough so that they could all hear it.

" _Tastes like cereal..._ " he muttered like he was in wonderland. Pyrrha blushed madly while Nora burst into hysterical laughter. Ren just mildly laughed.

Pyrrha felt the need to disappear and never show her face again! Had she _really_ just done that? In front of her friends to boot!?

" _How embarrassing…_ " she moaned in her thoughts.

* * *

Yang Xiao Long's first thought as she was waking up from a foggy mess, was to question exactly how she had gotten where she was. She was lying in her bed facing the ceiling. She was still in her normal clothes instead of in her pajamas, so that obviously was enough of an indicator that she didn't fall asleep the way she had planned last night. As she pushed the covers off of her, the memories came flooding back to her like a bad hangover. A shade of red crossed her cheeks, but she quickly vanquished the butterflies in her stomach.

" _Oh boy…_ " Yang thought to remembered the exact moment she kissed Gohan. It had been kind of quick and bold of her to do something like that, but she wasn't scared. She wasn't going to live her life hiding behind a mask. No, she was the kind of girl that desired adventure and a thrilling life, but she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about what she had done. Confessing one's feelings was a difficult task, and the fear of rejection was always present in those sorts of situations. She knew she needed Gohan more than anyone right now, and if he didn't return the feelings she thought he had for her, then she wasn't sure what she was going to do.

Placing her feet on the floor, she allowed her head to droop slightly, her golden blonde hair fell over her face and draped down the sides of her head. With a flick, she pushed them back. She loved her hair more than she probably should have, but even she had to admit, having such long hair _all_ of the time was kind of a pain. Maybe she should have tied it back? She eventually decided against it, knowing that her style was almost too iconic to change up now.

She made her way out of her bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom. She needed a shower. She smelt awful, and she desperately was in need of a wash up if she was going to confront Gohan about their little _moment_ last night. Yet another light blush covered her face as a giggle escaped her lips. She felt slightly disturbed at that. She didn't often giggle like a giddy school girl. She frowned as she stripped, standing in front of the mirror, her eyes shifting to a red color. She wasn't some love sick puppy! She was Yang Xiao Long!

As she stood under the hot water, she couldn't help but fantasize about the previous night. She had felt so comfortable in his hands, but as she thought about this, her mind drifted elsewhere. She remembered the story he had told her. It had been scaringly accurate and immersive. For every word he spoke, she could practically see what was happening. He explained it all in horrific detail!

It was like a movie playing through her mind as she visualized every word. Those blonde and black haired teens from his story. They had killed so many people, and the way he described them... they didn't desire to show any mercy whatsoever. They truly were monsters, even worse than the Grimm. Killing machines designed only to give and deliver devastation.

And she thought her life was difficult…

With Summer dying, to learning that her birth mother had abandoned her on the day of her birth, she would be the first to admit that she displayed signs of abandonment issues. She hated when people left her, and Ruby dying just threw her in an endless abyss of emotional torment. She could still remember the vivid memory of Ruby being born. It had been one of the best days of her life, despite being only slightly older than the baby. Her toddler eyes remembered the bundle of black hair with red tips.

She was only two and a half at the time. She remembered very little of it, but it was still there. That brief memory of seeing Ruby's silver eyes, and small weak frame in Summer's arms. Her heart had gained another vital piece to the puzzle of her life. Another piece to complete her. She had so many great and loving memories of growing up together with her. She had a friend, a sister to share all the experiences of life with. She could teach her so many things, and be the big sister she had always dreamed of being!

Summer's cookies… Ruby's abnormal fascination with weapons. Her adorable awkwardness around people she didn't know. She was truly a _baby_ sister. It hurt more than anything to watch that monster rip her to shreds. That _lifeless_ look on her face. It was etched into her memory. That small trail of blood that leaked out her mouth. It was as if Cell had reached into her and ripped out her heart, only to stuff it back in to watch her squirm in pain.

She was even starting to tear up just thinking about it.

And then she had learned that Gohan… the boy she was starting to fall for had brought that monster to their world. He had _brought_ Cell here. He was _responsible_ for Ruby's death. But that wasn't true at all. It wasn't Gohan's fault. He was just trying to rid those monsters from his world. He had lost _so_ much more than her. He was just trying to do what was right, but it hadn't been enough.

And yet…

He had pushed on, not because he wanted to… not because he wanted _revenge_.

He pushed on because he _had_ to.

Because there was _no_ one else that could.

He was a hero, and she was a coward. She had run home like a coward and hid in her room, trying to pretend that everything was okay. She had tried to block it out of her head. She had tried to deny the truth, but all it ended with was her exploding against him again when he had shown up to help her. He had come all the way over here just to see if she was okay. He really cared for her.

The water ran cold and Yang immediately shut off the shower. She had gotten lost in thought _again_. It wasn't the first time and now it was becoming a bad habit. She had been reflecting on the past much too often lately. Ruby was dead, she had to accept that and move on. Qrow always lectured them about moving on, to keep moving forward no matter what. Getting stuck in the past was something you could never afford to let happen. She had heard it years ago when Summer disappeared.

Qrow and Taiyang had a fight. Qrow told him he needed to move on, and her father refused. Xiao Long's were stubborn like that. They refused to accept anything but what they wanted to believe. It seemed that mindset ran in the family. Yang refused to accept that Ruby had died, and she had suffered all this time because of it.

She needed to move on. Otherwise, it would be the death of her.

Making her way back to her room, she got dressed into an orange tank top and black cargo pants. She threw on a grey jacket and headed down stairs. She could hear her father watching the news. It seemed that after almost a month and a half, Vale's destruction was still a hot topic. Conspiracies, theories and all that other nonsense were being thrown around on the global media. Terrorists, White Fang, Monsters of ancient legend, Grimm, Gods and anything else the news outlets could think of to make a quick buck and get more viewers believing more rubbish for their own gain. Yang sighed, only the survivors of the ordeal really knew the truth.

One thing that _was_ confirmed, was the reality that Cell was real, and possibly still out there.

Atlas had tripled security, while Vacuo and Mistral had recalled all possible huntsmen to defend the Kingdom's against Grimm incursions, not to mention bandit raids and orchestrated attacks on neighbouring towns. Many Kingdoms were flooded with refugees seeking to escape the possible threat of Cell.

It seemed that Cell had become a worldwide terrorist. Remnant's very own boogeyman, hiding in the darkness waiting to consume you. The people of Remnant had every right to fear him. Yang had fought him, despite the fact she had been filled to the brim with rage. She still remembered most of the fight with him. Her power increased every time the force of a mountain hit her. She could still feel the pain in her fingers as the monster snapped them with ease.

But then she had felt that strange and spine-crawling sensation of her bones being knit back together by her strange transformation. She still didn't understand what she had done. It felt like she had accessed a new stage of power. Like she had climbed a step without even knowing it. She could remember the sensation of power running through her body, amplifying her power whenever she got hit, but also, healing the damage she took. Yang had no clue how such an ability could work. The one weakness her semblance had, was that she was only able to take so many hits… so now, it seemed like she could take as many as she liked!

No, it couldn't be that simple. The healing factor must have some kind of limit, but the sheer fact that she could now heal broken bones in seconds, and other crippling injuries was astounding. Just how much punishment could she take now at full power?

She shuddered just thinking about it.

"Hey Dad," Yang called out as she entered the kitchen. Taiyang turned his head.

"Hiya honey. Gohan's outside if you want to go talk to him. Have some breakfast first. He's doing some training, said you might like to join," he responded. Yang raised an eyebrow. She was surprised at the fact Gohan was still here. Granted, she could sense his energy the moment she woke up, but she was still wondering why the boy was still here. She thought he'd have gone back to the Lookout. Another wave of butterflies took over her stomach, making her feel more giddy than she would have liked. Once again, she quickly pushed those feelings aside as she headed to the kitchen.

"Yeah, thanks!" she called out. As she made herself breakfast, she looked out the window. He was clad in his signature orange clothing. It had a strange symbol on the back of it that she had never bothered to ask him about. It looked rather important, seeing as it took up a large portion of the back of the shirt. It also was bold and very prominent. If she were to take a guess, she would probably think it was some kind of word in another language.

It probably stood for something, but she was never one for languages. She probably wouldn't know how to read it anyway, he didn't even come from the same planet.

That fact still bothered her somewhat.

She was friends- well, hopefully more than just friends, with an alien. The thought had never occurred to her. He looked, talked and acted like a normal person, so there was never any reason to think he was an alien. It certainly explained why he didn't have an aura. Humans and faunus were born with an aura, but he came from a completely different set of humans all together.

She had to wonder…

Was she _compatible_ with him?

The thought disgusted her momentarily, but it was an interesting question. She was certainly attracted to him that was for sure, but would they be genetically compatible? She wasn't good with science, but she would like to think she was, but maybe that was a bit far off yet. It was rather intriguing to say the least. He looked as human as any other guy she had met, so it would only make sense that it would work. She mentally slapped herself, her thoughts drifting off as if they had a will of their own.

" _Baby steps Yang. Jeez_."

Scarfing down two pieces of toast she made her way outside. It was much better to see him out here than through a window. Every inch of him was visible to her. It seemed he hadn't taken notice of her yet. He was so immersed in training that he didn't even look up from where he was. He was spin kicking, punching the air, and fighting at speeds even she had trouble following. It was like he was trying to fight an invisible opponent.

She cleared her throat, immediately breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, hey Yang!" He grinned turning to her. His friendly smile just seemed to brighten her sunny morning. So far, she hadn't burst into tears yet. Progression, she was actually managing to get somewhere now. That being said, she wondered what Blake and Pyrrha were doing, and how strong they had gotten. She didn't know how long they spent on the Lookout, but Yang could tell they would have done some serious training before they left to do whatever they were wanting to do. She had sensed Pyrrha make her way back to Vale, to be with her team no doubt. She wasn't sure where Blake was though, seeing as she could no longer sense her faunus partner on the Lookout even if she stretched her senses far enough.

"Uh… hey," she started, the words seemed to spill out of her mouth. She couldn't help but close her eyes in frustration at the sheer fact that she couldn't seem to control her mouth anymore. Gohan gave her an amused smile at her reaction.

"You okay?" He asked. Yang frowned.

"Just fine," she responded with a slight growl. It wasn't aimed at him, mostly at herself for being so loose tongued. She straightened herself up and crossed her arms over her chest. Before she was going to start training with him, she needed to talk to him about what happened last night.

"So…" she started. "About last night. What do you think?" she asked. Gohan seemed to scratch his head in a confused manner.

"What do you mean?" he asked. She growled slightly, her eyes twitching in the process.

" _Oh you cannot do this to me right now! You don't get to forget what happened!_ " she thought menacingly. Her face reflected her thoughts and Gohan looked rather nervous.

"The kiss Gohan, don't try to avoid it. I kissed you. How do you feel about that?" she asked rather bluntly. The Saiyan wasn't sure what he was supposed to think. He had been trying to avoid it for _her_ sake. He didn't think she would want to talk about something like that. It looked like she had probably done it without knowing it, but it turns out that was not the case. It looks he was right on the mark with what he first thought.

" _Great… it was a confession. She really does have feelings for me,_ " the son of Goku thought.

"Well?" she was starting to get impatient.

"I guess… I uh…" he stumbled in his words. Yang could only frown as he seemingly dug himself deeper into a grave. She wasn't looking too happy. "I guess I liked it?" Gohan finished in uncertainty. Yang could tell it was a question, he wasn't sure. The two stared at each other in a moment of silence before the blonde smirked.

"Well then," she walked right up to him and planted her lips straight onto his. It caught him by surprise that all he could do was wait it out. It didn't last long, and unfortunately he kind of wished it would go on longer. Yang was… for every sense of the word, a _great_ kisser. Not that he had kissed anyone in his life like this, but she was certainly something else.

"How about that?" she smirked pulling away. Gohan was left with a blush. "Better?"

"...Maybe?"

"You are unbelievable."

"I'm sorry! I'm just not good with this romance stuff…" he trailed off. Yang just smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Am I going too fast? You haven't even told me how you feel about me yet," Yang queried. Gohan felt a moment of bravery as he replied with an uncertain smirk on his face.

"Well… I haven't stopped you… yet."

"That's all I needed to hear" she said as she gave him another peck on the lips. Gohan wanted to wipe the imaginary sweat off his brow. He had dodged a bullet there.

" _Phew… that's good. I am_ _ **really**_ _bad at this romance thing,_ " he thought with a weak laugh. Yang's eyes drifted to the sky in thought. The Saiyan had no idea what she was thinking, and quite frankly he never did half the time anyway. Going with his gut and his feelings seemed to have worked well so far. However, applying that logic to women didn't seem right, and he knew that it wasn't going to work forever. He would actually have to put some thought and effort into this relationship if he was going to sustain it. He did like Yang, there was no doubt about it, but he wasn't exactly a scholar when it came to these kind of things. It was at times like these where he really wished he could go to Bulma, or his mother for advice!

"I wonder… does this make us official?" she asked. Gohan had a fair idea what she meant by that, but he didn't see why it was important. Who cared if they were officially a couple or not? It's not like it made a difference to Gohan. Maybe it was important to her?

"Sure, I guess?" he replied with a small smile. Yang's grin was suddenly very hard to read.

"Great!" she chirped. She gave him another peck on the lips. "I like doing this. Can I keep doing this?" she asked. The Saiyan hybrid chuckled nervously.

"How about later? Right now we should probably get some training in. Remember we still have a world to protect," he reminded her. Yang rolled her eyes. She had forgotten about that, and for some reason, in that moment, she hated the entire world for prying her away from the lovey dovey action that she so desired.

"Alright, you have a point there. So… where should we start?" she asked. The two separated, Gohan taking a few steps back from her. He crossed his arms and smirked. Yang suddenly had a terrible foreboding feeling that the training she was about to endure, she was _not_ going to like one bit. A chilling sensation rushed down her spine. That look Gohan gave her made her sweat in anticipation. What _kind_ of training was he thinking up and why did she think it was going to be extremely painful?

"I'd like to call this advanced training," he grinned. Yang frowned in an uncertain manner.

"And what does that entail?" she asked. Her response from him was transforming into a Super Saiyan. The transformation was so sudden it made her shield her eyes from the sudden explosion of light.

"Let's start with lesson number one…" he chuckled as he got down into a stance.

"Dodge!"

" _Oh no."_

* * *

Explosions echoed off into the sky as the suspended platform at the roof of the world, stood tall, proud, and undisturbed by any force at all. Light would erupt from the small openings on the side and each time an explosion rocked the place, dust and small, loose bits of debris would fall out. This had been happening for weeks on end, almost months. Not a day went by when these events would not occur.

High up on the Lookout, thousands of feet in the air, the battle raged on, between an Ice Queen, and a Crow. They had been up here for so long, they had almost lost track of time, training and perfecting their skills. She hadn't left the Lookout since Ozpin had brought her up here. It was for her own safety, and with his disappearance, the infamous male Branwen had taken up the mantle of training her. Her maiden powers were coming along nicely, and the mixture of ki control made her a force to be reckoned with.

Weiss Schnee could now be considered one of the most dangerous huntresses on the face of Remnant.

"Very good!" He dodged to the left as an explosion shook the ground behind him. It was an icy explosion, and the very air in this place was well below freezing, but she was coping just fine. It was more he, that was actually having difficulty fighting her. She was getting better every day. She trained every single day without hesitation or complaint. She was a driven girl, he had to give her that. "You never cease to amaze me with your progress."

"It's not good enough!" she snapped angrily. A blizzard erupted around him. He vanished from sight, appearing behind her and smacked her across the makeshift arena. She recovered in mid-air, landing on the backs of her heels and skidded backwards, using the motion to steady herself. He was extremely fast, and made Ruby's semblance look like she was moving through mud! Weiss wasn't sure if that was just his normal speed, or if he was actually using his ki for once. He only ever used it to get out of tight spots when she lost control of her powers, but that happened rarely nowadays.

She was more determined than ever.

Her long silver hair had grown long and unruly. She no longer had that regal look about her. She was bruised, burnt and had more scratches on her than she was willing to count. The more days passed, the more she was starting to think like a professional, deadly huntress. She looked like she was ready to face any battle or challenge thrown her way. Myrtenaster had long since run out of dust in its chambers and was now serving more as a normal rapier than anything else. She didn't need dust to attack, she had her own power to use.

Her clothing was ripped, and she was pretty sure that half her top was exposed to the older man. She knew he could see her bra, but the last time she had stopped and complained about it, she got a punch to the face. A little excessive, but he had informed her that she had more important things to worry about than modesty. It was such a silly thing to worry about when your life was on the line. Modesty and battle did not go together, and if you were willing to complain about how you looked in the middle of a fight, you were more or less going to end up dead. Qrow had been quick to teach her that.

"Look sharp!" Qrow yelled as he slammed his giant sword against her small rapier. Sparks flew as Weiss struggled to maintain her stance. His overbearing strength was something to be marvelled. She knew he was holding back his proper strength, otherwise he would have crushed her by now, but she was also holding back. She was surprised that Myrtenaster was able to resist Qrow's giant zweihander. The materials used to create her weapon were the finest Atlas could get their hands on. She expected nothing less but the highest quality, though she knew her weapon could only carry her so far against certain opponents.

When the chips were on the table, _she_ was the only thing she could rely on. Not her weapon. She had to make sure she was as sharp as could be when it came to combat. That included mastering her newly found powers to a level where she was comfortable with.

If she let her powers run amok, she would have frozen him to death by now. She realized the sheer power the Maidens possessed a while ago, and why it had been kept a secret for so long. She could control natural forces if she tried hard enough, though she was more drawn to using ice than anything else. Fire was easier, but lightning, earth and wind were much more difficult to conjure. Being able to control natural forces on top of having extraordinary destructive power was a terrifying combination. It almost made her feel like some kind of _goddess_.

"Good, you're getting stronger… the more you can hold your own against someone like me, the better you'll be able to survive what this world is turning into," Qrow lectured. Weiss used her off hand to freeze one of Qrow's feet in place. He noticed immediately, but Weiss took that moment to break off the sword lock and send a torrent of ice his way.

Qrow was sent flying back, but her onslaught wasn't done yet. Using the speed she had acquired over the months she had been training with him, she appeared behind him and formed an ice barrier with her powers. Qrow slammed into it and tumbled to the ground. She immediately summoned a large anvil made of ice and dropped it on top of him.

Qrow's eyes immediately widened, reacting almost immediately, he flung his sword towards it and sliced through it like butter. He glared at the white haired girl while she sported a smug smirk. The two stared each other off for a few moments, before Qrow raised his hand and caught his sword by the handle without even looking. He clipped it to his back and ran a hand through his hair in an exhausted manner. His gleaming crimson eyes narrowed at the younger Schnee in front of him.

"It's not very polite to try and kill the person that's trying to help you," Qrow scoffed, crossing his arms irritably. Weiss merely shrugged innocently, like she had no idea what he was going on about.

"I have no idea what you mean, I was simply doing what you told me to. I recall you telling me to _fight_ like your _life_ depended on it. Am I wrong?" she queried arrogantly. Qrow merely scowled at her.

"That doesn't mean to kill your opponent _Weiss_ ," Qrow snapped. Weiss recoiled slightly. He always called her Ice Queen. He only ever said her name when he was serious. It almost felt like he was a parent to her. In fact, she wouldn't be lying if she almost caught herself wanting to call the man her father sometimes. He had shown more care to her in one month than her real father had in seventeen years. "I understand that when it comes to monsters like Cell, you shouldn't hold back, but don't make a habit out of going for the kill. Trust me, those sorts of decisions stick with you for life. Have some restraint when it comes to fighting _people_. You never know what drives them to do what they do. We should always give mercy to those who deserve it."

"I'm sorry," Weiss responded quickly. "I… I got carried away," Qrow saw the torn look on her face and sighed.

"It's alright, I know more than anyone how the heat of battle can go. Your instincts take control and the mind prioritizes your life over the life of the enemy. It's a natural reaction. We're all selfish by nature, you have to understand that," Qrow lectured. Weiss could only nod. There was something about what he had said that made her thoughts drift to her father. He was a selfish man, caring for nothing but his name, status and money. She had lived in his shadow for all her life, under his rule. When she had finally escaped to Beacon, she started to see the world for how it really was. Not what her father had told her it was.

Jacques Schnee was completely wrong…

"Stop thinking about him," Qrow snapped. Weiss looked up.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Qrow smirked as he took out his flask to take a sip. He rolled his eyes when he realised the substance in the bottle had literally frozen due to the temperature in the room. She certainly was getting better at using her power, that was for sure.

"You're father, _Jacques Schnee_ ," Qrow practically spat. Weiss watched his reaction carefully. "I know he's your father and you feel like you should be obligated to defend him because he's family… but, I also know just from the way you look when you think about him that he's not particularly your favourite person," Qrow said sourly. Weiss didn't really know how to respond to that. Qrow had practically read her mind, and pinpointed exactly what was troubling her. Was she that easy to read?

"He made things… difficult for me. Growing up it was all about me being Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. Whitley wasn't particularly thrilled about that idea," Weiss explained. Her scroll had since run out of battery a while ago. There were no chargers up on the Lookout, and she had no electric dust to manually charge it so she didn't know what her father thought.

"A businessman before being a father I presume?" he seemed to know far too much about her father. She wondered what kind of relationship her father shared with Qrow. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be a very good one. Qrow's speech was slurred and filled with sarcasm most of the time, but if you spent enough time around him, you began to learn the difference in what he truly meant, and what was merely a simple jest.

"You talk like you have met him personally," she asked with mild hesitation. Qrow snorted as he turned away.

"I've had my fair share of encounters with that _slimeball_. He's not particularly easy to talk to. He doesn't like huntsmen and huntresses. I've known him longer than you've even been alive and trust me when I say that you shouldn't trust a word he says," Qrow informed. Weiss felt the need to argue.

"But he's my father!" Weiss weakly defended. Qrow merely laughed. She seemed conflicted. Family ties had to count for something right?

"He's your biological parent that's for sure. Father though?" Qrow trailed off. He uncapped his flask, channeling his energy into it and melting the frozen liquid, and took a long swig of it. His eyes displayed pity, something Weiss wasn't sure she should be taking offense to. "I'm not so sure about that one. When was the last time he said goodnight to you before you went to sleep?" he asked. Weiss scowled as she tried to recall a memory involving that scenario. She was instead, assaulted by memories of being alone in the dark, crying in her room while her father talked with business associates. She had memories where she got up, walked into his office and was practically screamed at to return to her room.

"He hasn't-"

"Taken you out for ice cream?"

Again, she could not recall a single memory of her father doing anything like that for her. She felt her strong facade start to crack, years of suppressed emotions starting to leak through. Weiss started to panic as Qrow seemed to be tearing down the walls she built with nothing but a few words.

"That's not-"

"When was the last time he told you that he _loved you_?" Qrow asked.

" **STOP IT!** "

Years of repressed anger towards her father flowed out like an erupting volcano. A wave of heat exploded from her body, her eyes burning with a bright blue flame as Qrow was forced to shield his eyes. Weiss hadn't even realized she had screamed. It had happened in such a reactionary fashion, as if an ancient defense mechanism had sprung to life and surged forward before she had time to even react to her emotional breakdown. She cut off her power immediately when Qrow seemed to be losing his footing. The older man stumbled forward, catching himself in the process.

Qrow remained completely silent. Tears started to stream down her face, but she had always promised herself that she would stand tall and strong. She couldn't cave like this! Tears may flow, but her strength wouldn't falter! Not now! Not when she was growing as a Huntress!

"I am very a-aware…" Weiss started with a choke. She cleared her throat and wiped her tears away with the remainder of her sleeve. "I am very aware that my _father_ hasn't been the best parent. He's demanded a lot from me, and he's… he _made_ me do things that I wish I had never done, but he is still _my_ father," Weiss responded in a weak voice.

"Weiss…" Qrow said softly. "He never wanted a daughter. He wanted an _heir_."

The words ripped into her, and the dam broke.

She fell to her knees and clutched her face as the tears multiplied, streaming like rivers down her cheeks. It had been a truth she had already known for a long time, but hearing someone else say it made it even more painful. She had deluded herself into thinking that it was a lie, but she knew deep down that it was the truth all along. It all made sense to her, and it always had. The snide comments from Whitley. The reasons why she had to go through all that conditioning. He had done the same with Winter. No wonder her older sister left for the military. She couldn't _stand_ to fulfill what her father desired of her.

"N-No-" Weiss cried. "I refuse… I can't believe that!"

Even now, she was still trying to fall back on her own poisonous delusions.

"I'm sorry, but it's the truth." his red eyes were full of sadness and pity for the younger Schnee. He always poked fun at Winter about how she had a stick so far up her ass, but that was because she was fun to mess with. He thought the same about Weiss, but it seemed that their father's influence ran much deeper when it came to Weiss than Winter. The older Schnee had seen it much earlier, and managed to find a way out before it became too much of an issue. Winter had escaped, but left Weiss behind to fend for herself. Something about that made Qrow despise the older Schnee, but he knew that there would have been more to this story than what he assumed. Winter cared for Weiss, there had to be complications.

Qrow walked over and patted the girl on the back. He wasn't good with sentimental moments like this. He didn't comfort people, but he was the only one present and he knew he couldn't leave this girl alone. She had been thrown into a world that was rapidly changing. He still had trouble believing just how much Remnant had changed over the years.

He sighed.

He hoped the others were making more headway than they were.

* * *

The sound of sonic booms filled the air outside the Xiao Long residence. Yang had since started back up training with Gohan and so far she had come a long way. Both of them were learning off each other. Gohan had a viable training partner, and Yang was improving in great were working on general battle sense, so a simple sparring match was useless towards their goals. Instead, they were fighting as if it were a real battle. Gohan was utilizing his Super Saiyan form in order to push Yang as far as he could. Her Evolved form allowed her to take hits from his transformed state and still bounce back.

That alone was astounding progress!

Gohan was clad in his Super Saiyan form, while Yang was empowered by her Semblance Evolved form. Yang still wasn't anywhere close to his level of power, but she had come a _long_ way. He could go as far to say that she was probably the strongest human on Remnant.

Her eyes burned with a majestic orange flame, her body surrounded by a flaming red aura. Her blonde hair had shifted into its familiar inferno which swayed in the breeze as the two fighters floated in the air.

They were currently battling it out in mid-air over the forests of Patch. The sheer devastation the forests and vegetation had endured was showing. Spots of land were wiped clean of any sign of natural life. Any Grimm in the area were destroyed in the crossfire, the dark creatures became irrelevant to the two fighters long ago. Yang had ascended and moved passed the pointless worries of the nightmarish creatures. She no longer had any reason to see them as a viable threat. A single hit was all it would take to turn any Grimm to dust.

"I have to say, you've come further than anyone I've known. In fact, I'd say you are about as powerful as I was when I first fought the Androids a few years ago. Considering that you have only been training for about two months, that's incredible!" Gohan exclaimed. Yang smirked.

"Well, I am a natural," she grinned. "Plus I've been training with you while you're transformed. You have been pushing me far above what I ever thought I was capable of. Seriously, that transformation you have is no joke. Your punches are almost incomparable to when you hit me in your normal form," Yang spoke up in between breaths. She was genuinely interested about how his transformation worked. Gohan grinned a little as he flashed his aura, expanding it a little bit before retracting it. Yang's flaming eyes practically widened in amazement.

"You knew what you were asking for when you asked me to transform to train you. You didn't want me to hold back, so I'm not! Though I am more interested in your transformation. We still don't know what to call it," Gohan elaborated as he gestured to Yang. Her form was quite interesting to look at.

She was clad in her evolved state. It was a slight physical change, but it was clear that something had changed drastically inside her. Gohan could almost compare it to a Super Saiyan transformation, but clearly it was something more than a power boost. Initially, he was surprised that the transformation provided no actual boost in power. He did notice that she got faster, but that was about it. What really made this form dangerous, was her vastly increased durability. She was a glutton for punishment, and she only got more powerful as the fight went on. It was truly remarkable what she was capable of.

"It feels like my Semblance is constantly active, it's a weird feeling but I've learned to control it now. Activate it at will. The damage I take is transferred to speed, power, energy and overall strength, but I can only take so much before my aura is shattered," she explained as she flexed her hands. A burst of crimson electricity circled around her fingers as she did so. She smirked as she curled her fingers into her palm, proud that she had come so far in such a short amount of time.

"I've only been able to activate my Semblance when I've taken damage. Now I can do it whenever I want. I also seem to heal damage that is done to me. It's really strange… almost like my Semblance has _transformed_ into something more," she murmured. Gohan placed a hand on his chin in thought.

"How about Super Yang?" the Saiyan questioned with a grin. Yang frowned in disgust.

"Ew, come on, that name sucks. Think of something better…" she scolded. "what about… _Super Semblance_?" she asked. Gohan scratched his head slightly. It was clear that they weren't very good with names. He wasn't sure about where the Saiyan's had come up with the name for the Super Saiyan, but hers definitely seemed better than his.

"Maybe we should leave naming it for another time…" he chuckled lightly. Yang dropped her transformation and wiped the sweat from her brow. The flames dispersing, returning her eyes back to their normal lilac state. The young Super Saiyan also reverted from his transformed state and descended to the ground in front of her house.

He had been spending his time here giving Yang the well needed support that she yearned. Ruby's passing hadn't been easy for her, and she was still suffering a little bit from it, but slowly the wounds were starting to heal. The hole in her heart was slowly starting to stitch back together, and maybe as more time passed, she'd return how she was before. However, Gohan doubted that. Once you lost someone close to you, you were never truly the same person again.

"You two need to stop tearing up my front lawn," Taiyang spoke as he brought lunch outside for the two. There was a nice wooden table that was placed outside the house for occasions such as this. He had set the feast down and allowed his daughter and her boyfriend to settle after their training session. While he didn't approve of Gohan's romantic relationship at first, he was quick to come around to it. It wasn't like Taiyang was going to stop Yang from dating the boy, seeing as she was currently more capable of taking care of herself than he was. Besides, from what he saw, Gohan was having a positive effect on her.

Yang needed the support more than he did. He was used to losing people and he knew he could cope on his own. His daughter however, was a different story. He was actually glad that she had someone like Gohan around to cheer her up and keep her moving forward. If he wasn't around, who knew just how far she would have fallen?

"Psh…" Yang brushed off. "It'll grow back," she scoffed as she turned to see the state of their garden. A vast number of trees were missing and the landscape around the house looked like a war had taken place. As the two sat down, the cute little corgi jumped up and lay down on Yang's lap.

"Oh hey Zwei! Who's a good boy?" she cooed as she scratched the back of his neck. The dog relaxed into her powerful hands as she worked away. Gohan was sat next to her chowing down on the food that had been placed in front of him. Taiyang had learned early on to make triple the amount of food when this boy was around.

He was thankful that in exchange for eating the majority of their food, Gohan would do their shopping for them. Since Vale had been mostly destroyed, Patch had trouble importing supplies from the neighbouring Kingdoms, but they still managed to get by.

"So… how is training coming along?" the father asked. Yang nodded cheerfully as she slowly ate the food that was in front of her. It seemed like she would be the only one capable of talking considering Gohan was busy stuffing his face. She could never understand where all that food went. It was like his stomach was a black hole!

"It's coming along pretty good! I can almost match him without him having to transform. Considering that he's been pushing me everyday for a month, I think that's an achievement in itself!" Yang exclaimed proudly. Gohan merely nodded as he swallowed the food that he was currently eating.

"Yeah! She's certainly coming along faster than I expected!" Gohan spoke as he wiped his mouth. "Back home, my friends would work for years to achieve this kind of strength. I'm surprised we managed it in a couple of months," Gohan praised. Yang blushed a little bit at the praise.

"Well, you basically trained me while using Super Saiyan the whole time. What was it again?" Yang wondered as she placed a hand to her chin in thought. "You only get stronger by fighting people that are stronger than you right?" she asked. Gohan slowed his eating as his battles with Freeza and Vegeta replayed in his mind.

His growth in power had started to skyrocket during his experiences on Namek. He had been forced to adapt and grow stronger just to survive and stand a chance at beating that galactic tyrant. Still, with all the power he had gained on Namek, it still didn't hold a candle to that genocidal monster. He was just glad they had bought enough time for his father to recover and save the day.

"Yeah that's certainly true. I've learned from experience. The more you fight against overwhelming odds, the more your body adapts," he explained. Taiyang had to nod at this. He had heard stories of prodigies that had gone through Huntsman academies that had practically lived their lives fighting Grimm.

Those who grow up surrounded by danger were the ones that formed the strongest minds and bodies. They had to in order to survive.

"Thanks for the food dad," Yang said as she got up from her seat. She did a few stretches before waving at the two males present. "I'm going to go visit Ruby and mom for a while. I'll be back later," Yang chirped as she walked off, the small corgi following her into the treeline.

"This is probably the happiest I've seen her since she came home. I have to thank you Gohan, you have really helped her through this hardship," the father spoke softly. Gohan merely turned to the father and nodded.

"It's no problem sir,"

"Just call me Tai,"

"Sure," the Saiyan responded. There were a few moments of silence.

"Sooo…" the father started. "What are your thoughts on kids? Yang certainly has her mother's hips!" the older man laughed.

If Gohan choked any harder on his food he might have died right there on the spot!

* * *

She wasn't going to lie, but as time went on, her nerves were starting to get the better of her.

Blake Belladonna was nervous, and for all the right reasons. Tension had been high over these past few weeks and she was starting to understand why. The White Fang had been confirmed to be at Beacon, the day Vale was destroyed, and now the distrust between humans and faunus had expanded even further! Her confrontation with Adam hadn't helped. He was obsessed with humans, and his hatred for them would never be extinguished until he reigned above them. All the hard work her father had tried to build over the years, had all but been erased with the violence Sienna Khan endorsed.

It didn't help that the media was grouping the White Fang with the likes of Cell, rumouring to have employed the monster to wreck havoc throughout Vale while they raided Beacon Academy. It was heartbreaking seeing the organisation she fought for, believed in and supported for the majority of her life, slipping through the cracks. She wasn't sure if their actions could ever be redeemed in the eyes of the people. Faunus all over the world would be oppressed by the bigots, and now they actually had a reason to hate the faunus.

Not only that, but it had been almost two months after the fall of Vale, and Cell was still nowhere to be found. Not once was Blake convinced the monster had perished at Gohan's hands.

Nightmares were harder to extinguish than that.

Either way, it was starting to bother her. She had been spending a lot of time on this cruise, just waiting and figuring out her life. Where she was going and where she wanted to be. There was a plus side to this boat ride. It gave her time to think, and time to reconcile with her thoughts. Soul searching was what she liked to call it, seeing as she had found herself in the middle of every horrible thing Remnant had to offer. She couldn't lose sight of hope, and giving up was not an option.

She had made sure to keep up her training, but instead of strength training and building power, for the sake of the safety of the people around her, she would meditate and practice her control over her energy. She learned a lot of things while meditating. She was able to train her reflexes in her subconscious, submerging herself inside her mind. It was a practice she had discovered shortly into her cruise ride. Needless to say she was progressing in record time. She wasn't sure how she was going to increase her physical power in such a crowded space, but mental training was all she felt like she needed right now.

Besides, it was quite peaceful.

Only when a certain _monkey_ wasn't following her around all the time.

She liked the boy, and she was grateful for his concern, but it seemed that it was getting a little bit creepier every day. He followed her _everywhere_ , and when he thought that she wasn't looking, she could sense him watching her. She knew it was out of concern, but it was getting annoying. Sun meant well, but couldn't a girl just have some privacy? She would have kicked him across the world if he had the gall to spy on her in the restroom or her assigned bedroom. Thankfully, the boy had more tact than that. He was just protective, and Blake was beyond such petty annoyances now. He could do as he liked as long as it didn't bother her directly.

The cruise had since docked at Port Burns. It was a small port down at the bottom of Anima and was about two weeks or so off Menagerie. It wasn't the fastest cruise, but it was slow enough that Blake was thoroughly enjoying her time on it. Like she thought, she had time to clear her head and think about things. She did wonder how Yang and Pyrrha were doing. Her friends had all gone their separate ways before her very eyes, and she had been the last to leave. She had managed to say her good-byes to Weiss, Gohan and Qrow before she left, but that didn't make the departure any easier.

Blake had a small room; a bed, a table and a window to look out of. She spent most of her time in there as opposed to anywhere else. It gave her some privacy, and she very much welcomed the calming silence. It helped her meditate. She would often hear Sun knock on her door, but she would ignore it.

Like for instance… now.

"Blake… you gotta come out some time. We leave for Menagerie in a couple of hours. We can go get some food if you want," he suggested from the other side of the door. Blake was floating in mid-air in the middle of her cabin. Her white tailcoat hanging down her backside. She had her arms crossed, legs crossed and her eyes closed. Every word that came out of Sun's mouth caused the cat faunus to twitch in irritation.

"Go away Sun, I'm busy," Blake drawled out. She had to give him credit, he was persistent. That, and she was the only person that he actually knew on the cruise. Since she had gotten rid of her bow, or in fact… just lost it in her fight with Adam, she hadn't bothered to replace it. She felt more natural without it. Plus, her feline ears prefered to feel the fresh air more often. Hiding her identity wasn't much of a concern anymore when she felt she had bigger problems to deal with than the off-hand bigot that threw a nasty comment her way.

"Oh come on Blake, I'll buy… my treat," he replied. Blake scowled as she tried to block out the words. "...I'll buy you your favourite _tuna_ …" he trailed off. Blake's eyes opened as her stomach rumbled. She was hungry and she felt so embarrassed that she was being treated like some kind of child, but still, he was trying to be kind. He helped her out in the past, and he was a friend… regardless of how stupid he often acted.

"Fine," Blake growled. "Give me a minute and I'll be out." she could hear Sun cheer from behind the door. Probably his third or fourth victory over her patience in about a month. She wouldn't often let him have these small triumphs over her, but if would make him shut up more often, she would gladly do it.

Once she left the room the two made their way to the docks. The ship was still refueling and it was quite large. Carrying a fair amount of Vale refugees. Her father had probably agreed to take them in on goodwill. Her father was a nice man like that, and after what had happened in Vale, now was the time more than ever that the world needed to band together and protect each other. Though, it still seemed that people held on to old traditions despite the chaotic nature the world seemed to be heading towards. People seemed to be stubborn like that, both humans, and faunus alike.

"Soooo… how are you feeling?" Sun asked. Blake frowned.

"Just fine Sun. Where are we eating?" she asked. Sun pondered that for a moment as he looked around. After a few moments, he shrugged.

"I don't know, you pick. I was just determined to get you out of that room," he grinned. Blake rolled her eyes dramatically. Sometimes he proved himself to be even more of an idiot than he already was. She wasn't sure how that was possible. He must have traded his generosity for brain cells, considering that he was almost full of more sunshine than Yang.

"Fine, let's just eat over here," Blake sighed as she pointed to a simple dine-in restaurant. It was almost around the time of dusk. The sun had since gone down and it was getting close to being late. She needed a big dinner, seeing as she hadn't eaten since yesterday. Luckily the restaurant they walked into served all the delicious items she was after.

"This place seems nice, it's almost like a date!" Sun exclaimed. Blake glared menacingly at the boy, making him sweat slightly. "Okay… not a date, got it…" he replied. Blake returned to finding a nice table for the two. They did eventually find one next to a window. It seemed that there were quite a lot of people in the restaurant tonight.

They ordered their food and sat in uncomfortable silence. Sun was glad that he had at least managed to drag Blake out of her room, but he knew she wasn't the most talkative girl there was. She was very quiet and one of the most anti-social girls he had ever had the pleasure of meeting, but she was nice once you got to know her. As long as you weren't on her bad side, that is.

"Thanks," her voice broke the silence. He looked up from his food to see her casually munching on some of her tuna dish. She had a light blush on her cheeks as she looked out the window. It was as if she was trying to hide her blush from him. "...for dragging me out of my room. I needed the air," She said with a small smile. Sun merely grinned.

"It's no problem! I swear you can be difficult sometimes, but all I'm here for is to look out for you," and then the smile disappeared from Blake's face. She scowled at him.

"I can take care of myself thank you _very_ much," she snapped. Sun recoiled a bit and ran a hand through his sun-kissed hair. He swore this girl was far more trouble than she was really worth, but he wouldn't be the first to admit that he had a thing for the black, stylish cat with her closed in attitude. She was beautiful, strong and dependable, but she had a touch of self-loathing about her. Sun wanted to fix that.

"I know- I know! It's just… you looked like you didn't have any friends with you when you came onto this cruise. I just wanted to make sure you weren't… ya know," Sun trailed off. Blake raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What Sun," she scowled further. "Running away? I don't do that anymore, I can't afford to run. Especially from someone like Cell. There wouldn't be _anywhere_ to run _to_ ," she emphasised. That monster had more than enough power to erase Remnant off the plane of existence. The only question that bothered her, was why he hadn't already done it?

Unless he was dead, but she highly doubted that.

"I thought you were trying to get away from the White Fang…" he mumbled slightly. Blake just sighed.

"I'm over them Sun. I faced my demons with them, they're nothing to me anymore," a hint of arrogance slipped into her tone. She scolded herself for it. The one thing she hated about the upper leaders of the White Fang, the Schnee's and most people was their arrogance. It didn't matter if you were faunus, or human, people would always think they were superior to you if they had power.

She had it in spades now, but she refused to let herself slide down that slope. She knew there would be no return from it.

"Are you sure? I mean… you were pretty high-strung about them several months ago. You seemed pretty motivated to stop whatever they were doing in Vale. They _were_ involved in the attack," Sun reminded her. Blake simply sighed. Her fight with Adam had ended in a stalemate, mainly because she was exhausted from holding off the seemingly unstoppable force called Cell. She had managed to become so powerful in such a short amount of time that she had closed the gap between her old mentor and herself. She was pretty sure she could take him without much difficulty now.

After a month of meditation and training her energy control, she wasn't sure just how far she had come, but she knew that she no longer had to fear that constant shadow that seemed to follow her. Adam was no longer a threat to her, but she knew that wouldn't stop him from hunting her. He was obsessed with her when they had fought. His words echoed in her mind like a bad memory. Taunting her to rejoin his cause right after he saw that she had incredible power. It sickened her. All he wanted was to further his own power.

"I'm serious. I'm going to Menagerie to reconnect with my family, but I also have something I want to investigate while I'm over there," Blake explained. Now it was the monkey's turn to look surprised. He wasn't aware that Blake had family in Menagerie of all places, and what could she possibly be investigating over here? If it didn't have anything to do with the White Fang, what could she possibly be looking into? Whatever it was, he was ready to lend a hand!

"Cool! I can help with whatever you need," he responded with a supportive smile. The cat faunus retained her signature impassive look.

"What about your team? You would just ditch them to come with me? Not that I don't appreciate the offer, but Neptune and the rest of your team would be back at Haven waiting for you," Blake scolded. Sun rolled his eyes and waved her off.

"Psh, their fine. Plus, it's not the first time I ditched them to take a boat. I see it as taking the scenic route to Haven, ya know?" Sun grinned. Blake narrowed her eyes.

"Are you… afraid of flying?" she knew that the majority of the time, travelling between Kingdom's required you to take a plane or a larger bullhead. It seemed silly, but if Neptune was afraid of the water… would Sun be scared of flying? Na… It couldn't be, that would be ridiculous. The irony there would be enough to put her into an early grave!

"NO! - Uh- I mean… no, of course not," he denied. Blake's eyes widened.

" _Oh my god. I don't believe it,_ " the cat faunus thought in mild amusement. The look on her face changed to that of a mocking smile. Sun merely groaned. The last thing he wanted was for that to get out. He didn't hate heights! He wasn't even scared of them! He just didn't like _planes_. Was that so hard to believe? Blake turned her head away, looking out the window with a genuine smile on her face. It didn't last long before something strange caught her eye. The smile disappeared off her face as she saw a number of people run past the window to the dine in restaurant they were in. They had panicked looks on their faces.

"What's going on?" Blake asked aloud. Sun turned his head towards the commotion and opened his mouth to say something. However, whatever he was going to say was cut off as the sound of an explosion ripped through the air. The restaurant went deathly quiet as the ground beneath everyone shook. Sun managed to groan as another vibration shook the entire building they were in.

"This can't be good."

The roof shook violently and multiple tables and windows started cracking. It was like a continuous earthquake. Blake and Sun were momentarily stunned as people climbed under tables or ran for cover. Both of them knew immediately that trouble had arrived, but in what form? Was it Grimm?

Blake couldn't sense anything other than the obvious increase in flames and smoke that was coming from outside. Before Sun could say anything to stop her, she had vanished from her spot at the table and raced outside to investigate what had caused the damage. The poor monkey Faunus had been left behind. He sighed dramatically as he picked up his plate of food and practically inhaled it in one go. He wiped his mouth and headed for the door.

"So much for an uneventful evening…" he grumbled before he rushed outside to chase after Blake.

Blake appeared in a flash, running towards the screaming. She could hear it echoing throughout the port. Multiple buildings were ablaze, people jumping out of windows just to escape the inferno. It was horrific. She hadn't seen destruction like this since the fall of Beacon. She could tell she was going the right way because the people were running past her in the opposite direction, screaming for help.

Was it the White Fang? She couldn't sense anything where she was going. It had to be Grimm, but then… why weren't the alarms going off? Ports like these with weaker defenses would have huntsmen stationed all over the place. Grimm alarms had been placed all over the docks in case of any attack! The scouts would have seen something like this coming!

When she arrived at the source of the commotion, she found only one assailant that seemed to be responsible for this mess. Standing in the flames was a figure. It looked like a clown almost. It was big and fat. It's skin white as snow. She couldn't figure out what this thing was! She couldn't sense any energy from it, nor could she sense any aura! It's almost robotic movement stunned her when it turned to face her. She saw its eyes blink, almost like a machines.

"Who are you!?" Blake demanded. It gazed at her. Suddenly a red laser shot from its eyes. Luckily, Blake's guard had been up and she had been expecting some kind of attack. She moved with blinding speed, leaving a clone behind in her wake to take the hit. The laser tore through her shadow clone like a hot knife through butter. It exploded as Blake skidded to the side. She immediately went on the attack, catching the strange assailant off-guard. It fired off multiple more attacks at her, the red beams of light hitting the ground where Blake had been standing. She had to keep moving otherwise she would be history!

She circled the attacker, watching it stand stationary as it launched more attacks at her. No doubt it was studying her as well, but that left it wide open for attack. She found a weak spot in the timing of it's attacks and rushed forward. She sped behind it, fixed on delivering a crippling blow to its neck.

"I said…!" Blake appeared behind the figure and slammed her knee into the back of it's neck. She heard a crunch, but not of bone, but of metal. Sparks erupted from it's neck as it stumbled forward. The machine turned and backhanded her away with surprising force. She was sent tumbling backwards, crashing through multiple buildings. The moment she stopped, she looked up to see it right in front of her. Not only was it incredibly strong, but it was unbelievably fast as well! This couldn't be something that was developed on Remnant! This had to be a..!

" _It's not human!_ " her mind was racing. It picked her up and the moment it did, she felt her energy start to drain horribly. It was a sickening feeling. She managed to kick it off, leaving an ice clone behind her. She landed on the ground breathing heavily. She had no idea what she was up against, but it was strong and it definitely wasn't alive…

"What. ARE YOU!?" Blake growled. The figure smirked.

"I am designated as Android 19," Blake's eyes widened. The figure lifted its hands and fired a blast so big she wasn't sure she would be able to block it. She opted to dodge the moment the thought crossed her mind, but the moment she did, she regretted it. She watched the blast sail past her and into the small port.

An explosion engulfed the docks. People screamed, and people ran, but everyone in the area that wasn't a huntsman or had access to their aura was incinerated. Blake watched with horror as the ashes, that were once people blew away into the wind, as if they never existed. She turned back to the soulless machine, it's impassive and uncaring face locked entirely on her. It was as if she was staring death in the face… _again_.

No Yang, or Pyrrha… and certainly no Gohan to help her.

How was she going to beat this spawn of hatred and malice?

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Here we are at the end of pretty much of what I'd like to call the interval period between the first and the second arc. Everyone's gone through serious training and now Blake has run into a bit of trouble! Oh, what will she do against the overwhelming force that is Android Nineteen? That model was able to match a Super Saiyan Goku, but he did have the heart virus after all. Still, she's going to have to utilize some kind of battle strategy to find some kind of way to beat him! It certainly isn't going to be a walk in the park for her.**

 **We have the foundations of Arkos building, with a little bit of frustration on Pyrrha's part! There's a little bit of teasing for BlackSun, and the Yang/Gohan ship is sailing quite nicely after this chapter. Again, romance is not my strong suit, and it does not take center stage in this story. There will be tidbits here and there of romance/fluff but don't expect the focus to be anywhere near it. I apologize before hand if the romance seems weak / and or slightly rushed.**

 **A message from my beta reader** **Sid89: Hey everyone, one of the betas here. I just want to thank everyone in the continued support for Sivam's story. I've been doing this for 9 whole chapters and it's been a blast. However, I do want to mention that the story's main editor is on an extended hiatus and won't be available to fix any errors for a while. I'll do my best to try and fill his role, but I'm not afforded the same resources he utilized. That being said, hope you enjoyed the chapter and stay tuned for much more!**

 **Oh, if you guys are wondering where Ozpin and Cell are, don't fret. You'll see what they are up to next chapter. Trust me, there is a reason things have been rather... _quiet._**

 **Anyway that will do it for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed!**


	14. Unforeseen Complications

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys, got another chapter here for you. This one was a little difficult for me to get out considering I just finished my university exams. Hope I did well, if not, I'm kinda screwed because that's a lot of money I'm sinking into my education. Anyway, you haven't come here to listen to my personal issues, so we'll get right into the thick of things for this chapter. Once again, my project with Dmoose18 is still on hold, however I will be announcing another RWBY/DBZ story that I have been working on obsessively over the past couple of weeks.**

 **As of now, that story is at 70k words and I am thinking of posting soon. This story is named** **Pride of Four** **. If you wish to know more, PM me and I'll give you the planned fanfiction summary that will be on the front page of the story.**

 **Do not think that because I am working on multiple stories, that this story will suffer. This is still my top priority until it is finished. It just kind of gets a little bit tiring focusing on one story for an entire year straight. I know some other writers can do it, but unfortunately that's not me, I have to keep thinking up new concepts to keep my motivation alive.**

 **Anyway, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _Chapter Fourteen: Unforeseen Complications_

It was a hollow victory for him.

Running away, fleeing from the battle because he knew if he had kept fighting, it would have been the end of him. The predator of Remnant knew better than to try his luck when he had just obtained what was precious to him. He had spent years dreaming of ascending, to evolve and break the boundaries of the obstacles that lay before him. He was obsessed with doing what he was programmed to do, and nothing would stop him from achieving his goal other than death itself. He had only just taken the first step and achieved his second from, and yet here he was… hiding like some kind of wounded animal, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey.

Cell wasn't quite sure what was wrong with him. It had been months since he had infiltrated that measly city and taken what was rightfully his, only to be interrupted and stopped by the son of Goku. The boy possessed incredible strength, enough to even match him in his second form, and that caught him off guard, forcing him to pay the ultimate price for his arrogance. He had been too arrogant, toyed with his opponents. He had let that girl with the red hair get the better of him. A simple human with the power to sap energy off her surroundings like a parasite and then use it in a single moment to attack everything in the area. He should have known better than to let the power go to his head.

His success in absorbing that cyborg had made him arrogant. He had thought he was unstoppable, but then he found himself at a stand still against that half-Saiyan yet again. How had Gohan been hiding so much power? It was inconceivable! He would pay that boy back in folds once he reached his perfect form, but that would be a long time coming, considering that he had now run into a more… complicated obstacle.

Absorbing humans wasn't doing anything for him anymore. The power increase was so minimal that it was not even worth the effort! He had to fall back to his earlier theory, and that would take more waiting. The three girls, Blake, Yang and Pyrrha would provide the perfect power boost for him to reach his perfect form! He just had to wait until they grew stronger. However… the longer he waited, the harder it would be. Gohan would be undoubtedly growing stronger. He could sense the boy's power from the other side of the planet. He had to make sure the next time they fought, he would be at his final evolution.

If only his _energy_ would regenerate properly!

"Damnit!" Cell roared, slamming his fist into the wall next to him. It was a sickly feeling, but it had been there ever since his escape from Vale. His energy felt like it was being constantly sapped and drained away from him. If it wasn't for the fact he had drained that village full of the humans with the strange animal-like features, he wouldn't have had enough energy to get here. Floating islands in sky, made only possible by Gravity Dust. For the life of him, Cell could not figure out why his energy was being drained when there was no one present to _drain_ him.

The fury that burned within his very being amplified by the cells of Vegeta and Freeza- was bubbling to the point where he was considering blowing up the planet. With the strength he had left, it would be child's play to do so, however he couldn't risk that chance. He had work to do here, and he wasn't willing to give up his only hope of reaching perfection. It would eat at him for the rest of his existence if he threw away the chance so childishly. No, he would wait, but he had to figure out what was draining his energy.

"Hm…" Cell murmured to himself as he sat down at the back of the cave, watching the entrance quietly. "Maybe I should take a page out of Piccolo's book. If I don't figure out what is eating my energy, I'll never get the chance to reach perfection," he finished. Closing his eyes and using the stolen knowledge, gifted to him by Dr. Gero, he accessed Piccolo's DNA. The Namekian had wonderful regenerative properties to his DNA, and no doubt it would help him speed up his recovery, but first, he needed to isolate the problem.

Beginning to meditate, Dr. Gero's ultimate weapon proceeded to locate the problem that was plaguing his body. It had been a similar feeling when he had tried absorbing the Grimm. Soulless creatures without a life force. It made him sick and provided no power increase. He had learned quickly that chasing those creatures and pulling them into his biomass did him no favors. They were filled with nothing but hatred and misery. He had enough of that with Freeza and Vegeta's DNA.

After intensive mediation, Cell finally found the problem. There was a darkness inside of his body, leaching at his very being. Was this an eventual side effect from absorbing Grimm that was only just taking effect now? How could he have been so blind that he allowed this to happen!? Whoever was responsible for this would pay dearly, but from his knowledge, the humans and the Grimm were mortal enemies. He had observed countless battles between them in his time growing here. If that was the case, then who…?

"I see you are having trouble," a smug voice commented from the entrance to the cave. Cell opened his eyes to see an inhuman figure standing before him. Her skin, white as snow, and burning red eyes. Her white hair, almost as pale as her skin, not to mention what seemed to be black veins crawled all over her body. She looked like a personification of Hell, but Cell knew better. He could sense her energy, and her presence. Immediately, he lifted his hand and shot an energy blast towards her. She didn't even try to avoid it. Instead, the shot went straight through her, like she was just a ghost. Cell growled as the figure smirked. "I'm just an apparition. I wouldn't be foolish enough to actually approach a _monster_ like you."

"Look who's talking," Cell spat in response. The witch merely chuckled.

"Why don't we skip the insults. I'm not here to brag. I want to see if you are worth keeping alive," she stated arrogantly. Cell merely scowled, standing up. He easily towered over her small frail form. The one thing his magnificent power could not overcome was magic. He couldn't sense it, nor could he understand the effects it would have on someone like him. No matter how strong his power would be, the unfathomable effects of magic could do anything, even to an ultimate fighter such as him. This witch standing before him was clearly well versed in mystical arts.

"What do you want?" Cell questioned, deciding to humor the woman. He clearly couldn't kill her if she wasn't _actually_ here, so he had no choice but to listen to the apparition. He could fly away, but then he would miss the chance to see what this witch could offer. If his hunch was correct, then she was directly responsible for his condition, and thus if he eliminated her, he would be rid of this plague.

"You have power no one could ever dream of obtaining. It would take decades for anyone on this pathetic planet to reach the level of strength you and that _boy_ possess. I am curious as to how you came about such immeasurable power, but I'm sure it's too complicated to understand considering you hail from a different world," Salem replied casually. Cell merely motioned for her to continue. "As it stands, both of you are in my way. However, I feel as though we can make a deal. If you kill the boy, and his annoying friends, I can guarantee you will achieve your evolution, but only if you leave this world once you do."

"Why?" Cell merely shot back, a thoughtful look on his features.

"Because I have plans for this world, and you two will no doubt interfere with that. Once you have your 'perfect evolution' I would like you to leave the planet, only after you kill Son Gohan, Ozpin and his pawns," Salem retorted. Cell merely chuckled.

"I find it amusing that you are laying out these orders and expecting me to follow them to the letter," Cell laughed, causing Salem to frown. "However, you are saying you want me to kill Gohan and his little entourage. The only thing I get out of this is my final evolution, while you get an entire planet to yourself. That hardly seems fair now does it?"

"You don't belong here. If you deny my deal for a truce, then I'm afraid my children will continue to feast on your energy until there is nothing left of you. You may be powerful, but I highly doubt you can fight what's inside of you," Salem shot back, clearly disgruntled that the agreement was going south. She was never one to hold out on hope, but she was at least expecting Cell to be reasonable when in such an unfavourable position. She had waited, given him time to realize the situation he was in. Why was he still so confident!?

"Ah… so you are responsible for that. Interesting, may I ask how you managed to infect me like this?" Cell queried. Salem's expression morphed into a victorious smirk.

"If you are so interested to know, it was moments after your little _light show_ with Son Gohan. While you were at your weakest and still rebuilding your body, I managed to sneak a few of my children into your body. They have only multiplied since, feeding on your energy. They will only continue to multiply until you are nothing but a lifeless carcass. I give it a few weeks before you die. If you accept my deal, then they will stop feeding. It's your choice, _Cell_ ," Salem responded in a calm tone. The predator of Remnant merely gazed at her, his eyes locked with her crimson ones. After a few moments he began laughing, much to Salem's dismay.

"I won't lie, you have a lot of guts coming here and demanding such things of me… but you made one crucial mistake," Cell growled, a feral grin spreading across his face. Salem's eyes widened as a golden aura exploded around Cell. "You showed me… _who you are._ I know your face, I know your energy, and now… I know _exactly_ who to **kill** to rid myself of this plague."

"You fool!" Salem snapped. "If you think killing me will stop my children from feasting on your energy then come and try! I'm the only one with the power to stop what's happening to you, and you're just going to throw it away!? Who do you think you are!?"

"I am the ultimate weapon!" Cell roared, his energy exploding outwards. The Grimm parasites inside him started to overload and die as his monstrous energy tore through the cave, rocks crumbling. "I am the most powerful warrior in the universe, and anyone who gets in my way will be sent straight to Hell! If you want to try and stop me witch, then you better have something better planned, because if this is all you are banking on to hold me back, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SEND YOU TO OBLIVION!"

Salem quickly vanished, the apparition fading like smoke. Cell's energy continued to grow as he powered up. The entirety of the floating islands began to shake as Cell continued to roar. It wasn't until moments later where the island Cell was taking refuge on lit up like a firework and promptly exploded. The burst of energy sent the surrounding floating islands spiraling like pinballs into one another. Once the light and smoke had cleared, Cell was seen floating in the air, panting from his outburst. He felt much better, having purged a great deal of the parasites eating at his energy, but he knew it was only a temporary fix. They would continue to multiply until he dealt with the source.

"I'm coming for you… _witch_."

* * *

Nothing she had tried had worked, and so far, the Android attacking the port had yet to show any signs of slowing down.

She found herself almost regretting even coming to investigate the chaos because now she was locked in a death battle with something that could easily kill her should she make even the slightest mistake. It's large imposing pudgy body and lifeless mechanical eyes burned figurative holes inside of her body. It's attention was focused solely on her, and no one else. Maybe it was due to the fact that she had a much higher power level than everyone else in the area. If this thing was a machine, there was no doubt in her mind that it was able to get a good read on her energy, and that alone wasn't making her any less comfortable fighting it.

She had seen the android closing in to kill her and instinctively closed her eyes and raised her hands to block whatever attack it threw her way. However, she lost her balance the moment a force tackled her from the side, just as a searing energy blast sailed past her head. Blake hit the ground, along with her mysterious attacker. Only slightly dazed from the sudden attack, she attempted to push herself up.

Opening her eyes and blinking through the smoke and carnage, she turned to see that her attacker was in fact someone completely different. She couldn't believe her eyes when the identity of her _savior_ was actually none other than her friendly stalker.

"Sun…?" she asked in a daze. The monkey boy gave her a bright smile, but it was clear he was also hurt. His forehead was bleeding and his left arm was covered in dry blood. He looked injured, but he had still managed to save her. He had just been fast enough. It seemed like his shoulder had taken the hit, his aura wasn't even close to being strong enough to soften the blow. There was a clear scorch mark on his shoulder, and he was clutching it in pain. Upon further inspection, it seemed the attack had punctured his skin, and gone through his shoulder. Luckily, the attack had cauterized the wound, despite the overall damage being rather small in size.

"Hey there," his voice was slurred and he looked rather pale. She wasn't sure if it was shock or not but his life energy seemed to be fine, if not a little low, but it wasn't dropping, so it was clear he would live. It was probably just shock. She wasn't surprised. This Android had single handedly murdered thousands of people in the space of a few minutes. That was something only Cell seemed to be capable of. Blake had no doubt in her mind this monster was also related to Cell and Gohan in some way. Judging from its alien appearance, it clearly wasn't local.

"You saved me…" Blake whispered, flabbergasted that Sun would risk his life just to save hers. He nodded, flinching in the process. Was it some kind of heat related attack? Blake couldn't tell, but whatever it was, the Android was paying it no mind, and merely turned and started walking towards them.

"Yep… and I would do it again, but seriously, I feel kind of sick looking at all of these dead bodies. Not to mention the two holes in my shoulder, they kinda hurt," Sun turned a bit green at that, clearly lying about the extent of his pain. Blake couldn't help but agree. She had seen enough corpses to last a lifetime. Gohan wasn't kidding when he said these machines were monsters in human form. Absolutely nothing about them gave her any indication that they would give mercy. Robots with programming to kill. She would have felt bad for them if this Android hadn't just murdered thousands of people. Blake watched with mild fear as the Android glared only at her, ignoring Sun completely.

"You need to get out of here," Blake ordered, powering up in the process. Sun chuckled mirthlessly.

"And leave you here alone to battle that thing? Na-uh. I don't think so," Sun shot back. Blake turned to him, a scowl present on her face.

"I'm thankful for you saving me, but this is _way_ beyond what huntsmen are capable of dealing with. You _know_ what I can do. Only I have the power to stop this thing," Blake tried to explain. Sun looked unconvinced at her words. Even she had trouble believing that she could stop this thing. If Gohan had trouble stopping two of them from his world, what hope did she have in stopping _one_? She knew she wasn't even close to the boy's level of power, but it wasn't like she had a choice in this situation. There was nowhere to run that this Android wouldn't just follow her to. Not only that...

But this thing was clearly stronger than her!

However, everything had a weakness… you just had to find it first.

"Yeah, you looked like you had _everything_ under control when I stopped you from becoming a fried kitty cat," Sun remarked sourly. Blake ground her teeth in frustration while Sun stood up and ran a hand through his thick blonde hair. "Look, I wasn't prepared for this today, but is there anyway I can help? I'm not leaving you here on your own," Sun finished. She just sighed in frustration. She watched as it raised its hand towards Sun, the teen's eyes widening. It fired a quick ki blast towards him, and he knew he wasn't fast enough to move out of the way. Blake growled, stepping to the side to shield Sun.

She lifted her arm and batted the energy blast away, sending it flying into the ocean. The ball of light sunk into the water and exploded. The resounding effects were like multiple bombs stacked together had just exploded under the surface of the ocean. Water shot sky high, like a fully armed missile had just been launched into the water. Such a small tiny bit of energy had caused such a large explosion, and Blake had just smacked it away like it was mere annoyance. Sun couldn't believe what he was seeing. Blake _truly_ was a completely different person!

"Cheap shot," she hissed as the Android returned its focus to her. "That thing is much more powerful than I am. In a one on one, it would squash me like a bug. The only way I'm going to be able to beat that thing is if I take advantage of a weakness," Blake explained as the Android slowly closed the distance. They were running out of time, and coming up with a plan was going to take more time than they had. Sun was starting to understand what Blake was asking of him.

"You want me to find it's weak point?"

"While I distract it, yes. If you can," Blake responded. Sun's eyes widened.

"Are you sure? If you're not careful, that thing could kill you! I don't think I can swoop in and save you like I did before. I only just managed to get out of there alive," Sun exclaimed. Blake merely scowled in response, knowing what she was up against now, she couldn't afford to lose focus; and the closer the Android got, the more nervous she was starting to get. Sun needed to move before this fight started, or she couldn't guarantee his survival in the crossfire.

"I'll be fine," she reassured. "This time, I'm prepared to fight it. It won't catch me off guard like that again. Now go! Before he attacks!" she finished. Sun looked conflicted. He knew Blake was stronger than him… or really anyone he actually knew at this point. Seeing what she was capable of doing at the Fall of Beacon was something that he never thought was even possible. She was almost superhuman at this point, and in a fight against a killing machine like this, he knew he was only going to get in the way. He couldn't help here, so he was going to do the one thing he could, and that was what she asked him to do.

"Alright, let's do this," Sun responded finally. Blake gave him a small nod as he bounded off into the shadows. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. Balancing her energy with her aura, she continued to power up as the Android came to a stop, only about twenty meters away from her. A reflection in its eyes told her it was monitoring her power, and scaling it to see if it was a viable threat. While she knew she wasn't as strong as Yang, or as fast as Pyrrha, Blake did pride herself on her energy control, having the best among the three of them. She was the most capable of utilizing her strength to its full potential.

" _Okay Blake, stay focused. One wrong move, and you're dead_ ," she thought as she faced off against the killing machine.

She spotted Sun perched on one of the rooftops watching very carefully. She kept the Android in her sights. A dark purple aura exploded around Blake as she hit the ceiling of her current potential. Her aura and life energy were syncing, flowing together in harmony. The two energies worked together in unison to produce a glimmering purplish shield that covered her like a second skin.

"Okay _Android_ ," Blake muttered. "Let's see how strong you really are," she kept her eyes locked onto the Android. If she could match its speed at least, she would be able to survive long enough to find a weakness to exploit, or until Sun found one. There was no point matching its strength, seeing as these Androids had been built to fight and kill people as strong as Gohan. She had to hold out hope that she could match its velocity, if not ensure that she stayed ahead of its movements. Blake watched as the baby faced machine bent down, slipping into a strange fighting stance. She tensed, and in that moment, the fight began.

The Android rushed her without a second to spare. In a second it was on her, but Blake was ready for it and was easily able to follow its movements. The Android delivered a flurry of attacks, all at blinding speed, something that no normal huntsman would have been able to dodge. Blake's reaction speed had skyrocketed since learning how to use her energy. Nothing really could surprise her anymore considering she had fought against the likes of Cell, a being who was leagues stronger than this poser of an Android, but she still couldn't afford to make any careless errors.

She was pushed to the defensive immediately and she knew if she tried to attack, she would interrupt her defensive concentration and the Android would probably kill her in a few blows. Not once did she ever consider attacking 19, knowing for a fact that it would be fast enough to counter any sort of attack she threw its way. She decided to speed up instead, to see if the clown machine could keep up with her. While her speed was enough to keep up with the killing machine, she had to utilize her semblance constantly to avoid unexpected attacks or movements she had misread. Sometimes, she praised the fact that her semblance let her run away.

Especially if it was a life or death situation.

Blake phased in and out all across the harbour, moving at speeds no normal huntsmen was capable of achieving. The Android followed with ease as Sun hopelessly tried to watch, his eyes darting to each spot the two ended up appearing. Blake always had her arms up, defending and parrying each attack the killer robot tried to hit her with. Nothing seemed to be working and the Android was clearly starting to recognize the fact that the fight wasn't going anywhere. The cat faunus smirked as the fight came to a stand still. The more time they spent standing around, the easier it would be to spot a weakness.

" _Come on Sun… where is that weak spot? This thing has to have some kind of weakness I can use to kill it!"_ she thought as she dashed forward to attack. The Android was slightly stunned that Blake had pushed the attack so quickly, seeing as she was adamant to stay on the defensive. However, while her attacks were fast and precise, they lacked the strength behind them to do any real damage. Either way, Android 19 settled into a defensive stance as Blake attacked. She attacked from every angle, punches and kicks thrown faster than winds in a hurricane, Blake refused to let up. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break through its defenses.

The one thing in the back of her mind, was why had this Android had come here specifically?

Why here of all places? Was it because she was here? This being was clearly from Gohan's world. Its ridiculous sense of clothing and the obvious usage of energy told her that much. The Android stood out so much that it was pretty clear the thing wasn't a normal person. She had to admit, it didn't even look remotely human in the first place.

"This fight is fruitless," 19 started with a smirk as Blake continued to press the attack. "You are too weak to be of any threat," it finished. The cat faunus scowled as she broke off the engagement and rounded off backwards. She landed a few meters away from the Android, looking a little puffed but unhurt.

"I might be weak, but that doesn't mean I can't kill you," Blake growled as she evaded another strike. She went in for a counter and managed to clip the side of the Android. It skidded to the side a bit, but recovered in mere seconds. Before she even knew it, the Android had resumed attacking her.

Suddenly, as the Android went in for another powered hit, the machine froze mid-action. Sparks erupted from its neck, and seemingly bound the Android to the spot. Blake was stunned for a moment until she realised that Sun was standing behind it with a bucket of water in his hands. Specifically seawater. The simplicity in the unconventional attack was enough to make Blake think twice. It was a machine after all… was its weakness just… water? The idea seemed absurd! Looking at the model, sure it had patches of skin where wires were hanging out and areas that were clearly unfinished where she had managed to tear a bit of clothing off.

Surely technology this advanced and deadly was _waterproof_.

"Blake! It's got holes in its body! It has areas where it hasn't been patched up!" Sun called out before 19 smacked him away. He flew into a building, hitting the wall. His aura shattered and he fell to the floor unconscious. A feeling of terror crept into her gut as she watched crimson liquid trickle down Sun's forehead, his unconscious state completely unmoving. If it wasn't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, she might have lost herself in anger.

"Sun!" her desperate voice echoed around the ghostly docks. She looked back at the Android who was staring back at her with an impassive expression. It _really_ wanted to kill her right now, despite it not showing emotion. She could tell just by the way it was looking at her that it was annoyed.

" _Water… it's unfinished?_ " she thought to herself. Sparks erupted from the back of its neck, causing the body to glitch out for a few moments before it returned to normal. The black cat faunus now knew how to defeat this thing. She had to play her cards right. She had to bait it to follow her. She hoped that it wasn't smart enough to see through what she was about to pull.

"Okay… you want to fight?" Blake growled. Her growl turned to a smirk as her powerful purple aura exploded around her. "Follow me." She shot off into the sky and sped over the ocean, flashing ahead of 19 with surprising speed. The Android was on her tail immediately. She was surprised she was managing to keep ahead of it. All her energy control practice had really paid off.

Speeding down to the water, she charged a blast in her hand and fired it. The blast shot forward and parted the water as she sped down through the trench she had created with her energy. The Android was right behind her, and had followed her down. It was a perfect strategy. If this thing glitched out over a bucket of water, then what would happen if it fell into the ocean?

She stopped for a split second and shot up. 19 tried to catch her but the waves had closed in around it. Sparks erupted from it's body as it was dragged under the tides. Blake watched in anticipation as the fat white Android was dragged under the ocean. There was silence. Complete and utter silence. She didn't like the silence. The anticipation waiting for the Android to resurface or do… at least something to signal that it was dead, was maddening.

Knowing she would regret her action, she shot down and broke the surface of the ocean. She needed to check if the Android was really finished.

Bringing energy to her hands to create light in this ocean of darkness, she saw the Android a couple of meters away from her glitching out and breaking down. She knew she had to finish the job. She fired both balls of energy at the Android. Before the white pale thing even knew what had hit it, a hole was torn through it's chest. Mentally, she celebrated as the Android seem to shut down and die. Holding her breath, she waited for a few moments, watching as the machine twitched and fizzled out, slowing dying.

19 then froze, shutting down and unmoving.

" _Is it finally dead?"_

A light erupted from the Android, blinding the cat faunus completely. Unbearable heat tore through the water. Blake immediately powered up and empowered her aura and placed an energy shield up, but the blast had blown her away. She found herself flung through the ocean. Her aura once again shattered and her energy shield was destroyed. The Android seemed to have one card left to play. Whatever it was, she could feel the sting of her flesh melting, the agonizing feeling of the salt water rushing and stabbing at the raw skin. Her lungs gave out, the air escaping her body. Her amber eyes glanced towards the surface of the water, seeing nothing but the light of the moon.

The last thing Blake saw was a light at the surface of the water before she sunk into the darkness of the Ocean.

* * *

The sun set over the horizon as sweat dropped from Gohan's brow. He was in front of the Xiao Long residence training and pushing himself to the very limit. It was really the only time he could let loose and use the full extent of his power. He had lost a bit of it since awakening in Remnant, but he had since regained it back after abusing his body.

His orange fighting clothes were drenched in sweat as he fought with a vicious invisible opponent. Even now, he could see Cell in front of him as that opponent. He had to fight, and he would never surrender. It was against who he was. He had fought the Androids for so many years and had refused to give up. All those bitter years of fighting a losing and hopeless battle, hoping that one day, he could grow strong enough to end the threat once and for all. Trunks, Bulma, Chi-Chi and everyone who were still alive that he cared about had counted on him to finish the threat once and for all!

He was thankful he had finally managed to destroy them after a year of training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. That place had been Hell for him, but it had hardened his body and steeled his mind beyond what he thought possible. Gohan discovered the secrets to his Super Saiyan powers, but he knew there was more to it than a regular Super Saiyan. There was a level beyond that, and he knew with enough time, he could reach it. However, he had refused to spend any longer than he had to in that cursed dimension. The complete isolation was maddening, and Gohan was glad it had given him the strength he needed to kill Android 17 and 18 and save the planet.

However, now he had a new responsibility to take care of.

Ever since he had woken up in Remnant under Beacon, he had desired a peaceful life, but as time went on, he eventually found that those with strength and power like him were expected to fight and protect those who were unable to fight. It happened wherever he went. Earth… Namek… Remnant. All these worlds cried out for protection. It wouldn't change, and he realized that now. Until all evil had been perished, there would always need to be someone there like him to watch over and protect these worlds from threats like Cell and Salem.

He had the power to do so, and he'd be damned if he let those cries go unnoticed.

As he continued to push himself, he noticed that he had an audience. Looking over, he found that his recent girlfriend had come out to watch him. She was wearing a collared cream top over a black shirt that had mid length sleeves with golden endings. Complementing this were a part of crooked black belts with gold accents with a purple piece of fabric hanging off her hip.

As his eyes drifted down, he saw that she was wearing some black boots and thigh high stockings with some straps that went under her skirt. Her long flowing blonde hair glimmered in the evening setting sun that almost hypnotised Gohan. He had to constantly remind himself that she was a stunning teenage girl that had an amazing sense of fashion. There wasn't a moment in time where he ever looked at her and wasn't pleased with the sight he was seeing. A beautiful, driven, strong and intelligent girl that had openly expressed her feelings of desire to him. He couldn't help but feel compelled to return those feelings when it brought such a warm, normal feeling to his life, stained by war and conflict.

"Like what you see?" her tone of voice was rather weak, not the usual boasting confidence she was normally full of. It made him wonder what was on her mind. She looked ready to go out to a party or go hunting some Grimm. The outfit made her look like she was combat ready, and just by looking at her, he could tell it was flexible enough for her to fight. Hell, the outfit looked like it was designed for combat as much as his Gi was.

"Sure, I guess…" Gohan replied nervously. She sighed in an exhausted manner.

"It's my Huntress outfit. Ruby helped me assemble it before I went to Beacon. I kind of like it, and I've only really gotten the chance to use it once before," Yang responded rather awkwardly. The Saiyan stopped his training and wiped the sweat off his brow as he fetched the towel that Taiyang had left for him. Gohan had quickly dried himself off before tossing the towel onto the picnic table that was just outside the house.

Walking over to Yang, the girl embraced him before he even had a chance to react. He could tell she was slightly repulsed by the fact that he was _still_ covered in sweat, but she ignored it purely because she relished being near him and close to him. He could tell over the past month or two he had become a serious crutch for the girl. He wasn't sure what to think of that, but as long as she stopped being mopey and depressed, he was completely fine with it. Gohan was glad to help in every way he could, and if Yang needed him to be her emotional crutch, he would gladly allow it. He didn't exactly have the heart to tell her otherwise anyway.

She practically remained around him at all times. When he was out training, she was either watching him, training with him, or with her dad. She was never alone for anything. Sometimes he could still hear her cry during the night. Nightmares plagued the young sunny teenager, and he couldn't blame her. If your sister was brutally murdered by a monster right in front of you, it was bound to have some kind of lasting effect. Gohan knew for a fact that it was something that would take years to get over. Sometimes, he still dreamed of the day where Piccolo had died for him, not just on one occasion, but _both_.

"I'm going to see Mom and Ruby, you want to come?" she asked. He simply smiled and returned the hug.

"Sure,"

It was a long walk to their graves, like it normally was. A stroll of silence between the two. Gohan found it best not to talk at moments like these and just let Yang feel how she wanted to feel. Her hand was intertwined with his, almost like it was a habit now. He could already feel the sweat forming in her hands. A nervous feeling no doubt. She tended to get like this when visiting Ruby and her stepmother. Gohan could slightly understand that she blamed herself for Ruby's death. Not being strong enough to avenge her ,or do anything to stop the monster that had killed her. It haunted her, just like his doubts and self-loathing still followed him around for many years as he grew up.

He couldn't help but think about what Ruby could possibly be doing in Otherworld right now. Her body had vanished a few moments after she had passed, which meant she was wanted by someone important. All he could think, was that it was King Kai's doing or some other important figure in the afterlife. If that was the case, then why Ruby? The more he thought about it, the more things were starting to fall apart in his mind. He knew King Kai was telepathic, and the immortal had contacted them multiple times throughout their battles with the Androids. Goku had tried his best to give advice from Otherworld, but ultimately, they hadn't been strong enough.

But still...

Why Ruby specifically?

That blinding light that had managed to _damage_ Cell right after he had absorbed Penny, was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was like a build up of power that had been kept bottled up over the years had finally popped the cork and overflowed. It explained why she was so dazed and powerless to even move after whatever had happened… well, _happened_. There was another aspect about that entire event that still bothered him to this day. He had remembered his power being sapped and pulled out of him like something in the area had been leeching off of him. He had to constantly push more power into his shield until Ruby had exploded! His power had taken such a strange drop that he had reverted from his transformed state.

The more he thought about it…

The more he came to the conclusion that Ruby had been the one _sapping_ his power.

It would explain how someone as weak as her was able to pull off such a devastating attack. No doubt if Ruby had been leeching energy off of him, she had been doing it to Cell as well. Her silver eyes must have had some kind of magical property to them. That was the only explanation he could think of because she couldn't have had that much power to begin with, nor could her body cope with the amount of raw power she had pulled in. It would definitely explain why she couldn't move afterwards… maybe her body had completely shut down, and was _incapable_ of moving?

If she really had access to such a power, then it would make sense that King Kai would want to train her. That ability could come in handy if they were to fight Cell again, but with no Dragon Balls to use, there was no hope she would ever be coming back. The thought of Namek once again popped into his head, but he dismissed it quickly, knowing that there was no use holding onto false hope. However, if it really was King Kai that had requested Ruby for training, then that brought up _another_ question.

Did that mean that King Kai and the others were aware of what was happening on Remnant? If so, why hadn't the Kai contacted him? From what his father had told him, King Kai was capable of telepathy across the universe. No matter where he was, the godly figure seemed capable of getting in contact with anyone. That huge, significant detail had slipped past him so easily he almost felt like kicking himself for not noticing it earlier! Why hadn't the Kai bothered to talk to him and explain what had happened the first chance he got? It made no sense!

He would try talking to the Kai… if only he knew _how_!

" _Hey! King Kai! It's me Gohan! Can you hear me?!_ " he called out in his thoughts.

He remembered the vague sensation of being telepathically connected with the Kai while he had managed to talk to his father on separate occasions after passing. Although those instances were few and far between and happened almost annually, he still remembered what it was like to talk to them. He had to at least try, despite the possibility that it wouldn't work.

No response, even after a few moments of walking.

" _Damn… If only that would have worked. Maybe something's blocking communication? I'm sure that would have worked, or he would have contacted me by now_."

"Hey," Yang nudged him. "You okay? You look kinda annoyed."

"Oh, no! It's nothing. Just thinking about Cell," Gohan lied instinctively. Any topic revolving death or the afterlife sunk Yang's mood down to rock bottom, and she seemed to be in a rather chirpy mood right now.

"Oh, okay. Try not to look too glum. You worry me," she gave him a wink. Gohan merely returned her smile, letting off a silent sigh as she turned away.

He pushed those thoughts aside for the time being as he and Yang came up on the clearing, and to their surprise, they found that they were not alone. There, standing on the ridge with a bundle of flowers in hand was the Ice Queen herself, Weiss Schnee. She hadn't noticed Yang or Gohan seeing as she was currently staring at the graves, a solemn expression clouding her face. The fiery blonde and her recent boyfriend stopped quietly and observed for a few moments.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you Ruby… you have…" Weiss's voice trailed off. The couple saw a shiver crawl across Weiss's skin as she readjusted herself. Gohan even saw her wipe a tear from her eye. "You were more of a friend to me than I ever could have asked for," her voice cracked as she placed the flowers in front of the crimsonettes grave. The girl was dressed in her Snowpea outfit, standing before her partner's grave as the tears started to fall from her eyes.

"I can't believe-" Weiss stopped herself, her hands balling into fists. Her hands tightened, her knuckles turning white as she tried to stop the flow of tears. "I can't believe I wasn't there for you. I should have… I should have been there. It's not fair," she sobbed, her head falling into her hands. The grave remained absolutely silent, as if it was waiting for Weiss to say something else, however no more words came. Gohan noted that Yang had let go of his hand and walked up to Weiss and carefully draped her arms around her shoulders. Weiss immediately saw the blonde hair and recognised Yang as the one comforting her.

"It's not your fault Weiss… I'm sure Ruby would appreciate you coming though. The flowers also," the blonde smiled weakly. Weiss wiped her tears and managed to restabilize her emotions.

"I know," the Schnee retorted sadly. "I just can't help but think that if I had disobeyed Ozpin and went anyway… that I might have been able to help, or-or at least do something to prevent her from dying," she finished, stuttering a little as her shaky voice started to even out a bit. There was always that doubt in the back of their minds, that small question. 'What if' had done a fair job of plaguing Yang's thoughts for a long time until she had managed to get over the first few steps of the trauma of watching your loved ones get murdered. It was still a grim memory she would never be able to forget.

"Even if you did come, there was nothing really we could have done," Yang responded as Gohan walked up to join the two girls at the grave. Yang merely sighed and crossed her arms. "Cell was just… too strong. We weren't prepared to deal with something like that, and we paid the price for our weakness. Now we have to keep moving forward and make sure that it never happens again, to _anyone_ ," Yang retorted, slightly glancing at Gohan out of the corner of her eye. The half-Saiyan nodded sagely, knowing that she was starting off down the right path. She was learning, and it was better late than never.

"That is a terrifying thought. The idea that we wouldn't have had any better chances even if I _was_ there. I've never had the displeasure of meeting the monster myself. I can only imagine him as a personification of true evil. I could sense his power from the Lookout, and that was bad enough," Weiss explained. She recalled the event, standing up there watching and using what little knowledge of energy she knew to sense the events happening in Vale. She felt Gohan and Cell easily, two powers she could easily describe as suns. It had been a rollercoaster of emotions watching Blake arrive with Pyrrha completely unconscious in her arms before shooting off back to Vale to confront Cell again.

Then the horror of seeing them all returned with Yang looking like she had been run over multiple times by a truck, and the rest of them looking worse for wear. The news of Ruby's death almost shattered her world. Weiss had internally denied it. She refused to believe Ruby was dead, but she had felt Ruby's energy drop off and disappear. She had feared the worst, and Blake only confirmed her suspicions when she returned with Yang. Then hours later, Qrow returned with Gohan, looking even worse than Yang.

All while she stayed safely upon the Lookout. It made her _furious_! Weiss Schnee was not one to stand on the sidelines!

"Yeah… and it's only going to get worse," Yang growled, but lightened up immediately, her frown fading into a look of determination. "However, this time we are prepared. I've been training, and from the looks of it, so have you!" the blonde gave Weiss a reassuring smile.

"I have to admit," Gohan cut-in, stepping forward. "Qrow must have done some _serious_ work with you. You're about as strong as I was when I returned from Namek. That's astounding progress for someone who has only a few months of practice under their belt," the half-Saiyan finished. Weiss smirked at the praise. Qrow had chalked down her massive improvement to intense training, and the overwhelming power increase to be a side-effect of being a Maiden with Ki training. She was one of a kind, and magical powers mixed with the destructive force of Ki was a _deadly_ combo.

"Qrow thinks that my Fall Maiden powers might have something to do with such an extraordinary increase in power. Seeing as they are magical in origin, there might be some kind of connection between the two. I have magical powers, a semblance, aura, and Ki training. Qrow has called me a _weapon_ a few times during our spars because of how well I was performing and adapting to the harsh regime," Weiss explained as she lifted her hand, summoning a ball of energy in her hands. She gestured to the ball of energy in her hand. "Observe what happens when I combine my energy with my Fall Maiden powers."

Gohan and Yang watched as the light blue ball of energy slowly shifted and grew in size. Crackles of electricity sparked around her hand. The ball of energy changed color multiple times as Weiss pushed more of her magical abilities into the energy. The sparks of electricity turned to a cold mist before shifting violently to a blazing inferno. Gohan's eyes widened as the power in her hand multiplied several times over, something which seemed almost impossible to everything he had been taught.

"How are you doing that?" Gohan questioned, seeing Weiss smirk. "That energy has multiplied in power tens of times over! If you can do that with your energy, I'd hate to see what you are capable of when you amplify your power inside your body!" he exclaimed in shock. Yang could only agree, however, Weiss quickly shook her head in denial.

"Ah, hate to break it to you, but I can't do that."

"Why?" Yang asked. Weiss merely groaned.

"Last time I tried, I almost died. My body can't handle such an energy increase. In Qrow's wonderful words, I almost burst like a _water balloon_."

"Oh, gosh…" Gohan cringed. It sounded like the same problem that his father had with the Kaioken. He couldn't go beyond certain levels without damaging his body. Once he had learned how to control Super Saiyan, his father had opted to put that skill aside until he could properly handle the higher levels. It seemed that Weiss wasn't able to control that energy and regulate it properly inside her body. It took serious discipline to learn how to do something like that, and even someone like his father, or his mentor Piccolo would have difficulty learning something like that. It came as no surprise that Weiss couldn't do it. "So you can only do it once the energy has exited your body?"

"Essentially, yes. I can apply it once I bring it out, but keeping it in my body is practically suicidal. My body isn't nearly as durable to handle the strain."

"Gosh Weiss," Yang ran a hand through her hair, a nostalgic smile on her face. "I can't believe you've changed so much! You're so strong now, and you even talk differently too! I bet uncle Qrow helped a bit with that. Its pretty easy to pick up those habits from him," Yang laughed while Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Do you even know what it's like to spend almost two months with your train wreck of an uncle? Talking differently isn't the only habit I've _unfortunately_ picked up," Weiss growled. Yang frowned and scratched the back of her head in confusion. A look of concern crossed the blonde's face as Gohan raised an eyebrow at the Schnee's comment. He wasn't aware that Qrow had more than _one_ bad habit. Apart from his drinking, the others must have been easily missed by the young warrior.

"You're not an alcoholic now are you? Seriously, tell me you don't drink like he does. I hope there's no flask under your skirt," Yang asked. To her it was a legitimate question, and the last thing she wanted was an alcoholic teammate. She just couldn't imagine Weiss downing bottle after bottle without stop. The princess didn't seem to be that kind of girl to be able to hold her liquor, but then again, everyone had a side to them that they wanted to hide. Who knows? Maybe Weiss secretly drank when they weren't looking! Ruby certainly had moments where she had pushed Weiss a little _too_ far. "I know uncle Qrow isn't _that_ bad."

Maybe suggesting to Ruby to steal some of Weiss's homework wasn't a good idea for a practical joke. Seriously, Yang had no idea how the textbook had ended up on fire and eaten by Zwei. That had been a difficult situation to explain to Professor Goodwitch.

"He's loud mouthed, rude, irrational and a downright hazard, but he has a way with words, I'll give him that," Weiss trailed off. Yang knew immediately that something had happened. It suddenly occurred to her that Weiss had been trapped up on the Lookout for the past one and a half months.

How exactly did she get here?

"Yep. That sounds like uncle Qrow alright, but seriously, you didn't pick up his drinking habit, did you?" Yang asked with a grin. Weiss stomped her foot, an actual serious vibration thundered through the ground. She blushed slightly and looked a bit flustered.

"Of course… not," she looked away, a guilty look on her face. Yang looked at her incredulously. That couldn't have been hesitation in her voice! Weiss wasn't a drinker! There was no way such a distasteful trait her uncle had picked up years ago, had rubbed off on Weiss so _easily_! Yang absolutely refused to believe it until she saw evidence of it, but yet, she couldn't help but push the question, wanting a proper answer.

"Weiss. _Please_ tell me you don't drink like he does."

"NO!"

"Okay! Jeez!" the blonde recoiled, her hands up in defense. "You don't have to scream…" she trailed off. Weiss brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes before she straightened up back to her regal form. She cleared her throat and crossed her arms, and just like that Weiss's hesitant and unprofessional attitude disappeared, being replaced by her old, regal and arrogant attitude.

"Look," she started. "Qrow had to leave the Lookout. He said something about helping team JNPR on their mission to Haven Academy. He thinks they might run into some kind of trouble, so he left to go after them yesterday. He told me to come and find you guys," Weiss explained. Gohan stepped into the conversation.

"Anything else? Did something happen with Pyrrha and her team?" he asked. Weiss shrugged.

"I don't know. He was pretty uptight about it, but then again… he always seems uptight about everything," Weiss elaborated as she rolled her eyes. Yang had to agree. Her uncle was a professional bullshitter and very tight lipped about certain things. It was just some of the qualities that made him who he was, and honestly that's just what she liked about him. Sarcastic, quirky and was one of the best uncles any girl could ask for. Always around in a pinch when she or Ruby needed him. Despite him wanting to keep the distance, and doing all these crazy missions, he always came back with more stories to tell them.

"Well you found us Ice Queen! What now? A sleepover? I can dig that. Gohan can sleep in my room!" Yang winked. Weiss growled slightly while Gohan blushed in embarrassment. Sometimes Yang could be _too_ straightforward.

"As _lovely_ as that sounds," Weiss responded sarcastically. "I'm afraid I'm here for a personal reason rather than on your uncle's suggestion. I need some help, and I don't have any other friends to turn to for this matter," she explained. Yang's joking demeanor changed immediately. If Weiss was having some kind of issue, then she wanted to help her friend out. Everyone had their own personal demons, and Yang had been more than willing to help Blake with hers, so she was more than ready to jump to help Weiss with hers. It was the least she could do in Ruby's place.

"We can help," Yang reassured. "What do you want us to help you with?"

Weiss took a deep breath as she steadied herself.

"I want you two to come to Atlas with me. I need to confront my father. I'm giving up my title as the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company," she admitted. Shocked features descended upon the fiery blondes face. Weiss had always upheld herself as the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. She wanted to change it when she finally took hold of the company.

It had been her dream.

What had changed?

"Weiss… why?" Yang asked. The Snow Princess sighed depressively.

"Before me it was my sister… Winter Schnee. She was the Heiress until she joined the Atlas Military. My father denounced her as the Heiress the moment she made the decision, but she didn't seem to care," she explained. She turned back to the graves, looking at Ruby's specifically. "Winter clearly did it to get away from the responsibility of running a globally renowned dust company worth _billions_. So the responsibility fell to me, the second oldest of the family."

"And you wanted to change your company didn't you? I remember you telling me you wanted to get rid of all the prejudice and hatred against the faunus and start anew. You wanted to rebrand and redesign the face of the company. What's changed?" Yang asked, a look of confusion in her eyes. Weiss had such a noble goal in mind, and now she was throwing it away! The sunny blonde was determined to find out why, and her current company couldn't help but wonder for himself what had changed her mind. All Gohan knew about the Schnee Dust Company was what he read in a few books, and from Weiss herself.

"My dream _was_ to change my company, but it's much more than that now. I want to do so much more than just change my company. I need to change the _Schnee_ name. It's not about the company and who runs it. It's about who I am, and what I do. I feel like Winter figured this out earlier than I did, and I think she was just waiting for me to come to my own conclusion," she continued. It took a few moments for Yang to realize that what Weiss had said made more sense than it seemed at first.

"That makes sense," Gohan responded. The two girls looked at him as he laughed sheepishly. "I don't know much about what you've been through, but I know that actions speak louder than words. You need to show people that the Schnee name is not what people think it is, and I don't think you could do that from behind a desk in an office," Gohan tried to explain as best he could. Yang had to agree.

"I agree, there's only so much you can do from an office. I think it's better if you're out here making a difference," Yang summarized. Weiss smiled and nodded.

"Thank you for understanding. I've put a lot of thought into this, but I don't think I can do it alone," she remarked softly. Yang wrapped her arm around the white haired girl's neck and pulled her close. Weiss yelped as her head slammed into Yang's chest.

"Don't worry Weissy! We will be there for you through the thick and thin! Right Gohan?" she turned to her boyfriend. The son of Goku nodded with a smile.

"Of course," he reassured with a friendly smile. As Yang patted Weiss on the back, a thought had occurred to her.

"Anyway… how exactly did you get here?" Yang asked. Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Your uncle taught me how to fly. It wasn't exactly difficult. The Maiden powers made it easier to bring out my _energy_ ," she responded awkwardly. Yang raised her eyebrows at that. Weiss scowled. "It sounds stupid okay! Qrow taught me how to fly, and I've learned to use it effectively, that's all you need to know," she snapped. The blonde grinned, trying her best to imagine what it would have been like to see Weiss learn how to fly. How many times would the princess have face planted for her to learn how to properly fly? She wished she could have been there to see it.

"Alright. Well, I'll go tell dad that we'll be heading to Atlas. Be back in a minute," Yang shot off back towards the house to inform her father. Weiss reached after her, a nervous look taking over her features. Her face went a small, light shade of blue.

"I-I didn't mean now…" she trailed off as Yang disappeared. Gohan just laughed.

"Yeah she's like that."

"I am well aware. I used to live with her," Weiss responded, amusement lacing her tone. Gohan chuckled lightly. After that there was silence for a few moments as Weiss refused to meet the half-Saiyan's eyes. She seemed to be nervous about something. It had to be her father. The way she spoke about him seemed like she had a very strained relationship with him. Now that was something Gohan couldn't relate with. His relation with his father had been strong and powerful. He loved his father, and Goku loved him back. Gohan remembered the days when he had returned from Namek. They had trained together for almost a year, after finally having time to themselves. It was heartbreaking to watch him struggle in agony as the heart virus claimed him.

However, that was his relationship. Weiss's seemed to be different, and no doubt her father was a business man, leading the SDC and the Schnee name. He could only make assumptions, but none of them were good.

It wasn't long before Yang had returned to the scene to find both Weiss and Gohan standing awkwardly apart from one another, an uncomfortable silence covering the atmosphere. The two hadn't really talked all that much before, so it was obvious to Yang why it was so awkward. Weiss was a hard person to get along with at first.

"Alright! Dad gave us the go ahead. We should be good to go. If we fly, we should reach Atlas in a few hours," Yang judged as she tried to estimate the distance between Patch and Atlas. The Kingdom of Atlas was at the top of Remnant compared to Vale which was at the bottom. They had a large stretch of water to cover, and Yang wasn't sure if Weiss might be able to cover it. However, the girl seemed to be able to get to Patch without any difficulty. Surely with the way her power was now, she wouldn't have any problems with it!

"S-Sure! I'll fly behind you guys," Weiss stuttered nervously. Yang looked at her strangely. Had she been wrong? Was the distance too intimidating?

" _Why_?" Yang pressed. "It's okay if you can't fly that far. I mean, it's a pretty long distance to go. Hell, I had to take a few breaks when we were flying to Newville town. It's nothing to be ashamed about Weiss. You don't need to make excuses," Yang reassured. Weiss however, merely blushed furiously as her hands drifted lower to her skirt, pushing down in the process. She immediately looked away, refusing to meet their eyes.

"I-It's not that!" Weiss snapped lightly, an embarrassed edge to her voice. "Just… forget it okay!? I'll fly behind you," she finished, clearly flustered. The fiery blonde looked over towards her boyfriend for an answer. Gohan merely shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea why Weiss seemed to be so nervous about flying all of a sudden. If she could do it, then why-

Oh…

Yang looked over the girl and only just realized Weiss was in a _skirt_.

Her famed _combat_ skirt.

The blonde immediately snorted, attempting to hold back tears of hysterical laughter that demanded to be let loose. Yang had to cover her mouth as the Schnee growled, returning her gaze towards Yang, a furious look in her eyes.

"What are you snickering about?!" Weiss growled violently. Yang walked over to her and elbowed the Princess in the side suggestively.

"Are you worried about Gohan looking up your skirt?" Yang whispered, wiggling her eyebrows. Immediately Weiss's face flushed red as she attempted to pull down the edges of her skirt. Her reaction, while expected, seemed a little bit extreme. "I wouldn't worry about that, he's not like that. You can borrow some shorts from my room if you want. I'm sure I have something in your size," Weiss's lip quivvered. The Schnee then grabbed Yang and pulled her close, whispering into her air for a few seconds. Gohan tilted his head in confusion, wondering what the two girls seemed to be keeping quiet from him.

Then Yang blushed furiously, Weiss turning redder than a tomato.

"Y-You mean you're not-"

" _No!_ I'm _not!_ "

"Why!?"

"I ran out!"

"Wash them!"

Weiss groaned, going even redder as she wanted to bury her head in the ground. There was nothing more embarrassing than _this_ situation.

"Do you have any idea how hard that is when there's nothing to wash _them_ with up on the Lookout!? I've been up there a long time Yang. I've had to resort to using… less than conventional means of washing my clothes, let alone… _those_ ," Weiss hissed. "Do you know how frustrating it is when you're trying to clean your clothes with magical powers you are still learning to use? I'm pretty sure half the wardrobe I had with me is somewhere floating around in the atmosphere!"

Yang rolled her eyes as she took Weiss by the hand and started leading her back to the house. Gohan opened his mouth to ask a question, but was quickly shushed by the blonde.

"Girl stuff, just stay here. We'll be back in a minute or two."

The half-Saiyan shrugged.

He could only wonder what they were talking about.

* * *

Miles away on the continent of Anima, team JNPR were making headway to Haven.

It was a long trek on foot and they knew they were in for the long run considering that learning to fly was proving too difficult for them. While Jaune knew Pyrrha was a good combat teacher, she struggled in conveying how exactly to learn how to fly. She would often confuse herself when trying to explain the basics of energy control, and most of the time, the rest of JNPR ended up bringing out their aura, instead of their energy. The only person who was showing any promise was Ren, who had successfully brought out his energy and was starting to learn to control it.

So they resigned to their fates and continued walking. Pyrrha would often fly up and check their surroundings to make sure they were on the right track. It was extraordinarily helpful because she was also able to pick up on Grimm hordes before they took the group by surprise. While she couldn't sense them, being a scout certainly helped. It also helped to see how far away they were from the nearest village or town outside the Kingdom walls. They had a few minor hiccups along the way with some special kind of Grimm, but it was nothing they couldn't handle.

"How are we looking Pyrrha?!" Jaune called out to the red-head. She was currently a few meters above the treetops, hovering over her team and looking for the closest village. They had passed a few of them, but none of them had any people in them. They had been destroyed years ago it seemed, and it seemed to bother Ren and Nora quite a bit when traveling through them. It seemed those two had history about towns outside Kingdom walls that they weren't exactly eager to share.

"I can see a populated village just up ahead!" she called back. She turned and looked around. "I also don't see any Grimm, so we should be fine!" she finished. Jaune nodded as Nora and Ren picked up their stuff and trucked on ahead. Pyrrha landed back on the ground with Jaune and picked up their things. Most of their bags were starting to get lighter as the journey went on. The trip to Haven Academy wasn't one that they were eager to make, but for the sake of rooting out the rest of Salem's spies, it was what they needed to do to ensure the safety of every other Kingdom.

If another Kingdom fell, it would be utter chaos!

"It's good to see a town that hasn't been looted or abandoned yet because of Cell and bandits. We were running low on supplies anyway," Jaune noted as he checked his bag. Their food supply was running short, and they were grateful to be coming in on a town that actually had people in it. Pyrrha merely nodded, agreeing with her partner's reasoning. As much as she loved her team, the fact that Nora consumed more than three times the amount of food than the rest of them was starting to become a problem. Not to mention the constant moaning about wanting to eat pancakes again.

"Yes, I am most grateful that we have been able to find a village that hasn't fallen to the Grimm or… _Cell_ ," She said, uttering the name like it was a poison. Jaune couldn't believe that Pyrrha was capable of holding such hatred inside of her. She was such a nice and kind girl. Just the way she even mentioned Cell was enough to send chills down his spine. She truly hated the monster, and rightfully so. They all did, and Jaune wanted nothing more than to fight the bug himself, to get justice for all the lives he had ended.

He was the one that had killed Ruby after all. His first friend at Beacon… and the first one to give him courage and hope to leading JNPR. He wouldn't be the person he was today without her.

"I hope Yang and the others are doing okay," Nora spoke up. Ren just smiled.

"I'm sure they will be fine. They are more than capable of handling themselves," he responded. Pyrrha kept quiet. While she was sure her team could handle anything should they come across it, Cell was a whole different kind of situation altogether. His mere presence was enough to strike fear into the people. His overwhelming power had frozen her to the spot when they first met. She had brushed it off as his grotesque appearance, but she could not ignore that twisted sensation that ran through her the moment the fighting began.

As they came up to the village, they knew immediately that something was wrong.

Guards and heavily armed squads of what looked like a decked out military were stationed around the village. They were equipped with weapons and armour akin to that of the Atlas military, but it seemed that they bore a different insignia. The closer the team got, the more obvious it became that it was no military guarding the village. The soldier's armor was a mixture of different colors, scratched and damaged… almost like it had been battle scarred or even worse, stolen.

Before anyone could say anything, a patrol of guards spotted them and immediately moved to surround them.

"Stop!" Team JNPR froze as the guards ran up and surrounded them. The group held their hands up in a surrender motion. The guards seemed extremely aggressive. Where they even guards? Taking a closer look at them, it seemed like their armour was made up of different components. It was almost like the armour had been…

Scavenged.

" _Oh no…_ " Pyrrha thought.

"Bandits," Ren growled under his breath.

The entire village was occupied by bandits. To none of team JNPR's surprise, they seemed to be carrying some pretty intimidating weaponry, and all of it was pointed directly at them. Pyrrha was more or less concerned for her team, knowing that the kind of firepower the bandits had was enough to destroy aura in seconds. While she was probably strong enough to withstand the initial onslaught, her team would quite clearly be killed before they had a chance to move. What didn't make any sense to her, was that from what she had learned, Bandits were supposed to raid and move on. Unless their compound had been compromised. What were these bandits doing here occupying this town?

"Drop all of your weapons and hand 'em over," the bandits ordered. The group had no choice but to comply with the demand. Grudgingly, the group departed with their weapons, the bandits quickly storing them on their belts or backs. Though, it seemed that three of the guards had trouble carrying Nora's weapon. The orange haired girl giggled at their efforts, before they ended up sending one poor guy back to the village carrying the large hammer on his back.

"What's your business here?" the taller looking one asked. It seemed that he was leader. Bigger gun and more prominent armour. Jaune merely scowled in response.

"I think we should be asking _you_ that," the blonde shot back. The leader pushed the barrel of the gun into his face. Pyrrha's hands clenched. She knew she could take all of these guys out with her power, but the problem was that she wasn't sure if she could take an _entire_ village full of bandits. Who knew what kind of arsenal they were packing? If the worse situation came, she would gladly power through all these bandits and take them out before they caused a fuss.

"You would do well to answer the question, _boy_ ," the commander shot back. Jaune turned his head away as the barrel was pushed against his cheek. Pyrrha decided to take the high road and answer his question. It didn't look like they had any other option at this current moment than to comply with their demands.

"We are huntsmen from Vale. We are travelling to Mistral to seek help from Haven Academy," Pyrrha answered the man. The leader looked a bit more sympathetic after hearing that, but that didn't lower his weapon anymore. In fact, the group that had surrounded them still had their weapons trained on them like they were prey.

"I see," the leader remarked in a rather bitter tone. "It's unfortunate what happened to Vale, but it's not our problem," he finished as he raised his weapon and trained it on Pyrrha. She growled, a red aura exploding around her. They were _not_ going to be executed here. She wasn't about to let that happen. However, what happened next surprised her.

All of the bandits backed away from her and dropped their weapons.

"It's one of the _gods_!" one of them exclaimed. Pyrrha looked dumbfounded, along with her team. She was a what now?

"She's just like our _mistress_!" another one exclaimed. Now Pyrrha was even more confused.

"Ah… what's going on?" Jaune asked. As he said this, a voice boomed from behind the crowd of guards.

"What's going on here!?" Immediately the crowd of guards parted to let the newcomer through. Pyrrha's facial features darkened when she saw who the voice belonged to. Her fists shook as she remembered the night in the sewers. Blake had fought this woman, and she and Yang had come to her aid. Yang had been so angry she had knocked off the woman's mask.

It was the same woman.

The one who shared a strikingly similar resemblance to Yang.

"Mistress Branwen! We found these trespassers coming close to the borders of the village! We were going to-"

"Silence!" it was a single word and every single bandit had frozen in fear. Her sheer presence striking terror into just about everyone present. All except for Pyrrha, who was unaffected. The woman had this glow about her, a very strong dark aura. Pyrrha could tell she was about just as powerful as her, but considering that she had learned from Gohan how to hide her true power, she wasn't sure what to think about Raven. Yang had told her, Blake and Gohan as much as she knew about Raven. It wasn't until Qrow departed with a bit of information that she managed to get a better idea about what kind of person Raven was.

The woman removed the mask, and immediately it seemed like they were looking at a much older, darker looking Yang with black hair. Same facial features. Same kind of figure. It was almost impossible to _not_ see the resemblance between the two. Pyrrha's scowl could only deepen. She was not liking how this situation was going so far.

"It's you," the woman commented as she moved forward. She was only a hand's length away from Pyrrha now, the two staring each other down. Both their energies seemingly clashing against one another. The atmosphere had suddenly gotten very tense. It was like a fight could break out any moment. "Choose wisely on your next actions girl. You could very well get your little team killed," she remarked in a threatening manner.

"What do you want from us?" Pyrrha growled. The woman merely smirked, seeing as Pyrrha had surrendered the situation to her in favor for keeping her team safe. While Raven was perfectly aware that Pyrrha might be able to match her, her team wouldn't possibly come close to being able to fend off all of her tribe. Sure, they'd manage to take down a good majority, but they were only human after all. Her tribe would overwhelm these three huntsmen and huntresses in training.

"Sorry," the older woman paused. "Where are my manners? My name, is Raven Branwen, and these…" she spoke, gesturing to the people around her. "Are my people. We would like to invite you into our _home_ ," Raven chuckled as she watched the expressions on the team's face change. The looks of discomfort and fear on their faces were enough to give her the pleasure she was looking for.

"It would be in your best interest if you complied, Ms. Nikos."

"Fine," Pyrrha snapped, causing Raven to frown. "We'll do this your way. Hurt my team though, and I'll make sure every bandit is turned into a pile of ashes."

"Your team will remain unharmed as long as you don't cause any trouble, however… you are our captives. You are in no position to make any demands," Raven retorted smugly. Pyrrha's red aura once again ignited around her, forcing Raven's present tribe members to step back in fear. The redheaded huntress made sure to make herself look as intimidating as possible, her angry red aura lashing out like a wild animal. Raven merely chuckled as she let her own energy aura erupt around her. A similar, but darker crimson to Pyrrha's own bright red.

"I can do that trick to you know."

Pyrrha could only scowl at the horrible situation her team had just landed in.

Things weren't getting any easier.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **That's a wrap for chapter fourteen! Lots of things are starting to happen, and our heroes find themselves in quite a few unfavourable situations. You guys got Cell instead of Ozpin, and not the both of them, and I'm kind of sorry for that. I did promise I'd show what they were up to, but you will find out next chapter what Ozpin is up to. Anyway that about wraps it up for the month! Sorry for the late update, I've been busy with other things. Hopefully I'll get a new chapter out before Christmas, and post my new story.**

 **Salem better watch out now. You don't deal with a devil, and you don't play with fire. Trying to make a deal with an Android, and Cell of all people was bound to go south! What was she thinking?**

 **Blake is in a bit of a bind, and team JNPR is captured by Raven! That's a rather grim thought, but at least Weiss is with Yang and Gohan now. We'll get to see more of the Ice Queen in action now that she is relatively caught up in terms of power and isn't completely useless anymore! Not to mention her crazy powers as the Fall Maiden. Mixing that with the destructive force of Ki would be pretty deadly.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me this far.**

 **See you next chapter!**


	15. A Fate Worse Than Death

**A/N:**

 **Hey, what's up guys! Merry Christmas and all that jazz. I'm exceptionally happy I've managed to get this chapter done and out for you guys. So welcome to chapter fifteen! Can't believe I've gotten this far. I also think this marks a halfway point to the story. Not too much longer to go I'm afraid. I don't intend to go over 400k, but if it happens, it happens I guess. I don't have much else to say other than thank you all for continued support for this story, and to thank my editors for sinking so much time into helping me make this a better story than it ever had the right to be!**

 **Alrighty then! Please enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter Fifteen: A Fate Worse Than Death_

A sliver of light pushed into Blake's vision, almost blinding her as her amber eyes creaked open.

Her mind was passively blank and unresponsive. After what she had been through she had every reason to believe that she had perished, but she could feel the soft comfort of a mattress beneath her, telling her that either she was someplace safe, or that the afterlife had nice beds. As more feeling returned to her body, the blur of colors and shapes started to clear up and become distinguishable.

Fortunately, she was not dead, seeing as her body suddenly kick-started and demanded sustenance. She felt starved and dehydrated, and adding disorientation to the mix was not what she wanted at this moment in time. She felt stiff and broken, an ominous throbbing thundered throughout her entire form. Her teeth clenched from the pain as she blinked away the tears. Upon slowly waking, she tried to move her limbs only to find most of them were unresponsive. Her throat was dry and her hair felt matted and filthy. After a few moments, she started to recognize where she was.

Blake Belladonna was lying on a comfy bed, staring at a distant, familiar ceiling. The paint, scratches, worn marks she had down to memory since she was just a child. The roof and walls of her room back in her parents house, was enough evidence to tell her that she was in Menagerie. The thought alone shocked her, seeing as the last time she was conscious, she was at least a week's journey away. As she lay there and thought of the circumstances that could have brought her here, full control of her body had returned to her, except for one scary detail.

A panic flooded her body as she internally screamed at herself to move her left arm. No matter what she tried, she couldn't feel it or control it at all, meaning she wouldn't be able to use it. Her dilated eyes moved to the side to see that she was under a bedsheet, but with enough effort, she managed to remove it to investigate her arm. She could feel her right arm just fine. Did she lose an arm in that battle? The Android had just… exploded. The last thing she could remember was a searing, unbearable wave of fire overwhelming her body. She had tried to put up an energy barrier, but it hadn't worked as much as she would have liked.

Pulling up the blanket, she saw that her left arm was wrapped in a bloodied crimson cast. Her eyes traced up to where it ended, which happened to be close to her shoulder. Angry red, raw skin could be seen at the end of where the cast sat. She wasn't even sure what kind of injury she had sustained, but it must have been serious.

It became quickly apparent to her that she lacked the energy to move her body or make any attempt to get out of bed, so she resigned to just tilting her head to observe the room. Thankfully she wasn't the only one in here. As she turned her head, she saw an older looking female with similar feline ears as her own. The older looking woman seemed to be half-asleep in her chair, tired black-bags under her eyes showing a clear sign of sleep deprivation.

Her familiar figure and posture screamed at Blake, the younger girl's eyes widening significantly. If she was in her home, occupying her own bed in her old room, then this woman must be…

"Mom…?" Blake croaked out. Her voice was horribly dry and wheezy. Blake cringed a little when she heard her own voice, knowing immediately that getting water would probably be one of the first things she needed to do. The woman's eyes fluttered open upon hearing Blake's voice. She turned her head immediately, concerned yellow eyes landing on the younger girl. In a moment she was out of her chair and by her daughter's bed.

"Blake!" her voice was desperate and full of relief. Her hand gently laid upon Blake's head, the caring mother soothing her injured daughter. "You're awake… I was so worried!" the older Belladonna cried out. A feeling of comfort and safety bloomed inside of Blake as she instinctively relaxed into her mother's embrace. After all these years, she had finally returned home to her parents, and in such a pitiful state. She had almost died! Blake couldn't imagine how worried her mother and father must have been when she had arrived here on death's door. That thought gave Blake pause for a moment.

How exactly did she get here? She was drowning, dying at the bottom of the ocean last time she was awake.

They were still on the continent of Anima the last time she checked.

Had she been in a coma?

"Mom… could I have some water?" Blake struggled to say. Kali immediately shot up from her position and picked up the glass of water that happened to be on the nightstand next to Blake's bed. She propped Blake up and slowly lowered the glass to her daughter's lips. Blake accepted without complaint and swallowed the liquid in a few seconds. As she downed the glass of soothing liquid, she had noticed a small IV stuck in her right arm. Slowly, Kali had reached down and removed it. She no longer needed it, seeing as she could hydrate normally now.

Coughing violently after rushing to ingest the water so fast, Blake readjusted herself, running her right hand through her hair. She felt awful.

"Thanks… Mom," Blake's voice was marginally better after taking in some water. The cool liquid soothing the dry and cracked insides of her throat. She massarged her neck softly with her right hand. "What's going on?" Blake continued as she turned to her mother.

Kali, having calmed down let out a careful sigh of relief as she leaned back into the chair. It was obvious she was beyond happy that her daughter was safe and sound. However, Blake could read the atmosphere, and it was clear that something wasn't right around here. Kali seemed a lot gloomier than what she remembered.

"You've been stuck in a coma for couple of days Blake. One of your friends brought you here as fast as he could. Sun managed to find you adrift close to port Burns. If he hadn't gotten to you in time, you would have died. A nurse tended to your wounds and you were placed in her care for the remainder of the journey to Menagerie. Not only did you almost drown, but you almost succumbed to blood loss," Kali explained, gesturing to her left arm. Blake was silent, letting her mother continue. How was it even possible she had survived? Had that explosion blasted her closer to the beach? She had been so focused on the Android that she hadn't been paying attention to where she had flown to.

Blake knew she didn't fly out too far, but she was honestly surprised she didn't drown!

"When you both arrived here, Sun made a fuss about finding where I was," Kali laughed a little bit. "He asked just about everyone in town! That boy really cares for you. The look on his face when he found me…" Kali smiled at the bittersweet memory, as if it had happened years ago. Blake had to smile as the image of her fellow monkey faunus friend came to mind. He had risked his life for her more than once, and then saved her from the clutches of death. She wouldn't be alive without him.

He really did care for her.

"Where is he?" Blake asked. Kali's eyes widened a bit before waving Blake off.

"Oh, he's out getting some food for the house. He's been helping me a lot lately. Making sure we have enough food and water for you… medical supplies to help with your injuries. It hasn't been easy, taking care of you while you're in this condition, but the nurse said you have a strong aura, so you should make a full recovery," Kali elaborated. Blake looked down at her left arm. The cast and the bandages were mostly red. Blake could feel the morphine working on her body. Blake couldn't begin to imagine what kind of state her arm was in.

She couldn't even feel it. That didn't give her much comfort.

She had used it to guard herself against the Android in the water. The mechanical monster seemed to have one last card to play, self-destructing. The energy barrier she had managed to pull up seemed to have softened the blast, but she had been close enough to have the full blunt force hit her dead on. Phantom pains of the inferno that had ripped through the water plagued her. She couldn't believe she was strong enough to take something like that head on and survive! Just how far had she come? Could she even consider herself normal anymore? That kind of explosion would have vaporized any normal person!

How she wasn't dead was beyond her. If the blast hadn't killed her, she surely would have drowned. Her luck in narrowly escaping the clutches of death was commendable and downright ridiculous to be a coincidence. She found it bitterly humorous considering the fabled tale of black cat faunus's having the worst kinds of luck.

Looking back on it now, her whole life had been one entire streak of _bad_ luck. It wasn't until recently that things started to look up for her. Gaining this new power, she knew she would be able to turn a lot of heads and start changing the world for the better, however, it seemed that with this great power came an even greater threat. It was still rather hard for her to believe that almost several months ago she was worried about the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. Now, it seemed she hardly needed to worry about them with monsters like Salem and Cell existing. All those criminals and extremists were like playground bullies by comparison.

"I see," Blake responded rather impassively. She was grateful, really, she was. Sun was a great friend to have and he genuinely seemed to care about her. He wasn't like most boy's who tried to chase after her for her feminine charms and 'glorious pale body' as they would often sing about. He had saved her life more than twice and she had yet to repay it.

"Is there anything you need sweetie?" Kali asked. Blake turned to her mother, deep amber eyes connecting with dark yellow.

"Is… is Dad around? I would like to speak to him about some things. White Fang related, it's important," the injured faunus asked. At the mention of her father, Kali visibly paled, a terrified look in her eyes seemed to scream a silent answer to the question she had just asked. Blake wasn't sure if she wanted to push the issue for an answer based on that reaction. A chilling sensation overcame Blake as she opened her mouth to question her mother's reaction.

"Mom… where's Dad?" Blake asked, her tone a little bit shakier than before. Understandable considering Blake could not sense the man's energy anywhere in the house, or for that matter, in the area at all. Something about that sent a wave of nausea to overcome the young Belladonna. The way Kali's feline ears flattened on her head, her pale and emotionless expression already gave the chilling answer that Blake wanted but didn't wish to hear.

"He's… gone sweetie," Kali all but whispered. "He was killed by that terrorist Cell," she finished, almost on the verge of an emotional meltdown. If Blake had gripped the sheets any tighter, she might have ripped through them and drawn blood from her own palm. The sickening feeling intensified. Memories of a man that had once tucked her into bed at night and read her bedtime stories started to vividly fade, fleeting from her mind.

Like a window fogging up from her hot breath, the memory being too crowded and chaotic to make sense of. A wave of emotions hit her, forcing her feelings to almost reach critical mass. She felt her ears on her head flatten as a despairing expression overcame her face. Feelings of rage, sadness and overwhelming depression flooded her senses as her head dropped, tears started to form, flowing freely down her face.

"H-How?" Blake croaked out. Kali sighed tremblingly and wiped her tears.

"It happened a month ago. The monster appeared on the shoreline and started… _draining_ people of their life. He shouted some obscenities about something ' _not working_ ' before going on a rampage. More than half of Menagerie was slaughtered, your father... included," Kali explained with a voice filled with remorse and terror. A hatred Blake never even realized existed started to swell within her. Her anger summoned an astounding amount of energy to return to her body. The mere thought of Cell brought about a cloud of rage Blake didn't know she was capable of.

"Those of us that survived remained hidden. We have tried to rebuild since, and I have taken up the role that your father filled as leader of Menagerie, but so far it is proving to be a difficult task with all the Grimm attacks," Kali sighed. Blake couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that Cell had been through here. Gohan hadn't managed to beat him, and now her father was dead, caught up in something she was powerless to stop. More people were dying by the day, and they had yet to find a solution to beat the monster.

" _He's not dead,_ " Blake fumed internally, rage coursing through her body. Gohan hadn't managed to end the nightmarish monster. If someone as strong as Gohan couldn't, then _what_ could possibly stop this monster? " _Once I'm strong enough… I'm going to skin that damned bug_ ," she vowed silently.

It was never that easy. Nightmares didn't go away just like that. They stuck around like parasites. Her body itched to fight the Bio-Android again. Thoughts of vengeance and hatred burning through her. It was as if the blood in her veins had turned to lava. Not Adam, not the White Fang, not Roman Torchwick… none of them could even come close to the furious thoughts of revenge she was plotting for Cell.

"After the fall of Vale…" Blake started attempting to reign her anger in. Kali just nodded.

"It was devastating to hear what had happened to Vale. We were scared Blake. A monster that is so unmerciful… cruel, and _unstoppable_. I do not know what kind of nightmare he is, but…" Kali trailed off, seemingly having lost the words to describe the horror she had witnessed. It was obvious the attack had taken a toll on her mentality. "When we saw him land on our shores, we already knew that we were going to die. Honestly, the fact that half of us survived the ordeal was a stroke of luck. If that thing hadn't been so angry and flown off, it might have killed all of us."

She looked exhausted and run down. Blake was actually even more grateful to Sun for helping her out. She _seriously_ needed to repay that stupid blonde monkey. He was too kind and caring for his own good.

"Your friend Sun has been helping to keep the Grimm out until our defenses are repaired, but that's easier said than done when the survivors of Cell's attack left mostly women and children alive. Those with any kind of combat training died against Cell! We hardly have enough means to defend ourselves. We are lucky to have held out for this long…" Kali informed her youngest daughter honestly. Blake's scowl morphed into a look of determination.

"I can help," Blake started. Kali immediately frowned.

"Don't be ridiculous, you need to rest. You won't be helping anyone until you recover properly!" she ordered. Blake turned to her and frowned.

"I can help! I have the skills and power to help you guys rebuild! I could-"

"That's enough!" Kali snapped. Blake immediately shut her mouth as more tears streamed from her mother's eyes.

"I lost Ghira to that monster… I _refuse_ ," Kali breathed. "I absolutely _refuse_ to lose the only remaining person I love in this life," she finished. Blake could not find the heart to argue with her mother when she looked like that. The complete desperation to hold onto her daughter was as clear as day. The young Belladonna unclenched her hand and lay back down in her bed. Maybe this was for the best. She needed to recover from her wounds first otherwise she wouldn't be of any use to anyone.

Suddenly the door slammed open, startling the eldest Belladonna and making the younger one flinch in surprise. Sun Wukong had barged into the room looking rather worse for wear. He had grease marks on his hands, his bow-staff was fully extended, and his light blonde hair was in shambles. He didn't have that happy-go-lucky glint in his eyes that he normally did.

"Hey Mrs. B! I got the food that you asked for. Uh, townsfolk asked if you had gotten in touch with Mistral yet- Blake!" Sun's eyes were widened as he looked at Blake's very conscious form. For the first time, Blake actually had managed to raise her injured arm and wave it. It seemed that feeling was starting to return to her arm, along with the excruciating pain.

"Hey Sun," she greeted groggily. In seconds he was beside her bed.

"You're awake! Oh man! This is great news! I got a message from Yang and her… uh… I think it's her boyfriend now based on what she said, uh - anyway, she said that they were in Atlas with Weiss. She wanted to know how you were doing. They said something about sensing your energy skyrocketing before dropping. I don't really know what that means, but I messaged them back saying that you were alright. Just a little hurt is all," Sun informed the youngest cat faunus. Blake narrowed her eyes.

"How does she even know you're with me?" Blake asked. Sun almost tripped over himself on that one. Blake just rolled her eyes. "Nevermind. I don't even care," Blake regarded coldly. Sun bowed his head dejectedly at that. Kali elbowed her daughter. The young Belladonna rolled her eyes, a small smile gracing her face. Yang could probably sense that Sun was with her. She kept forgetting that they were capable of that. She could sense Yang, Gohan and surprisingly Weiss from across the planet. They were figuratively beacons, and easy to point out. Weiss was similar, and no doubt they could do the same for her.

"Be nicer! He risked his life for you!" Kali scolded quietly. Blake shook the shock out of her head and turned back to regard her hero with warm, welcoming eyes.

"Sun," she started. The boy looked up. "Thank you for doing everything you can to help both myself and my mother, I don't know how to repay you. You've stuck your neck out for me so much…" she continued before Sun raised his hands to stop her.

"Whoa, it's all good Blake. That's what _friends_ are for right? We're supposed to look out for each other and help when they need it," He said with a smile. Blake scoffed silently at that.

"Yeah…" she started. " _Friends..._ " she finished in her thoughts. Kali stood up.

"Why don't we talk more over tea?"

That idea sounded more appealing to Blake than she had actually initially realized.

Her mom made awesome tea.

* * *

Team JNPR's situation wasn't getting any better, and slowly, they were starting to realize that they were unable to make any progress in their journey to Mistral.

Pyrrha was really wishing she had spent more time teaching her team how to fly, but they had opted to walk rather than to stay in one place and try to learn something that might end up taking too long. Now it seemed that they were stuck in one place regardless of what choice they had made. To the team's surprise, once they had been captured, they were allowed to roam the small town freely but restricted to leave by Raven herself. The tribe leader would have had them locked up, but the female Branwen knew there would be no cage that could hold Pyrrha Nikos.

It wasn't long until Raven had concluded with prior business, that she had called team JNPR to her quarters.

For the short time they had spent there, the team decided to stick together for their own safety. None of them knew whether or not someone was waiting for the right opportunity to kill them, being in the middle of bandit controlled territory was extremely dangerous. They all stuck together like glue, making sure to talk to the people who they needed to, and avoiding everyone else like a plague for their own safety. They had managed to gain some insight into the situation here.

Most of the town's inhabitants were _not_ bandits, but instead normal civilians that actually welcomed the armed thugs that seemed to be occupying the small town. While the bandits refused to pay for any of the services and constantly threatened the locals, it was evident that they all had one thing to fear, and it was the reason why the Bandits had hunkered down here.

Remnant's boogieman, otherwise known as Cell.

His actions in Vale during the Vytal Festival had been televised for the whole world to see, and regardless where you were or what situation you lived in, the name Cell struck unbridled fear into any sane man or woman. A monster clad in a green insect-like carapace was seemingly capable of bringing an entire Kingdom to its knees. Murdering hundreds and thousands of people in mere seconds, and was single-handedly responsible for multiple small towns and villages being decimated.

The whole of Remnant knew about him now.

And they had a really good reason to be absolutely terrified of him.

Cell was a direct threat to the survival of this _world_ and it was very clear that people needed to hunker down and defend themselves from this threat. The bandits had been in this town since the fall of Vale. It was very clear that even the intimidating leader of this tribe known as Raven Branwen was wary of the green monster's existence. Pyrrha couldn't help but note the futility of their defense, seeing Cell's power first hand. Nobody here would survive if Cell were to attack them.

Whenever the name was brought up around Raven, anyone could see that she shivered in cold fear, despite the fact that she was hailed as a goddess by her tribe because of the power she held. What kind of monster did they think they were dealing with if even their _goddess_ was scared of it? Pyrrha had seen the first evolution of Cell, and she couldn't blame anyone for being genuinely terrified of the creature. Its grotesque appearance was memorable enough to give anyone nightmares. It walked, talked and acted like it was human, but at the same time, it clearly _wasn't_.

Regardless of what you were, Cell was an undeniable force of nature that couldn't seem to be stopped. However, it seemed that Raven, despite being absolutely terrified of the creature, was determined to fight against it. Pyrrha unmistakably recognized the green vested Android. While she had never confronted it, it's bizarre attire was distinguishable enough from Gohan's description, that she could recognize it on sight. It towered over everyone in the village, it's intimidating height and imposing stare was enough to strike fear into anyone who gazed at it. The bulkiness of its arms was almost the size of her head! Not only was this thing tall, but it looked incredibly strong.

Another nightmarish being that was freakishly strong in unimaginable ways. It's sheer presence made Jaune almost wet himself. Nora couldn't stop talking, and Ren was hardpressed not to feel intimidated by the sheer size of the mechanical man. Pyrrha on the other hand, having been desensitized by the atrocities that Cell had committed, and having faced the monster herself, she found it rather easy to stand up to him. Although, that left her team in a rather vulnerable state, seeing as she was currently the only one able to defend themselves against the powers of life energy.

"I would like your help," Raven stated, a smug look coating her features. Pyrrha's expression hadn't changed from the moment she had sat down. An unhappy, brutal scowl etched on her features.

Team JNPR found themselves inside of a tent right around the center of the camp. Inside the tent, was a small table with a tea set, perfectly set down for two people. On one end, Raven Branwen sat, her crimson eyes boring into emerald ones. Behind her, stood Android Sixteen, standing impossibly still. His eyes trained on the team of four, making them visibly uncomfortable. Jaune couldn't help but meet his eyes multiple times before looking away. On the opposite end of the table, Pyrrha sat, her team stood behind her in support.

"It will be a cold day in Hell before I ever even allow myself to consider the option of helping you," Pyrrha snapped back. Raven merely chuckled as she took a sip of her tea, before setting it down, completely calm and in control. They were _her_ prisoners. _She_ had the power here. However, Raven preferred people cooperating on their own terms than being forced. It ensured they wouldn't stab her in the back the first chance they got.

"You've met Cell. You know how dangerous he is. You're powerful friend _Gohan_ ," Raven growled lightly. "-Isn't enough to destroy him outright. We need to pool our strengths' together before it's too late," the tribe leader admitted. She was a proud woman. She cared for her tribe, and only her tribe. While being wary of Salem and her powers, the witch would only make a few daring moves against her, and with her new power and support from her loyal Android, none of them had worked. Cell however, posed a different threat altogether, one she was sure she wouldn't survive should she ever encounter the monster.

She wasn't even sure where the limit on that monster stopped. Each time he appeared, he was leagues stronger than he was before.

"Why should we help you _murderers_?" Pyrrha snapped, determined to remain confident in the conversation. Raven leaned forward, a wary look in her eyes.

"If you don't we are _all_ dead. I'm not saying that lightly. Every single living being on Remnant will perish. The things this monster is capable of…" the woman trailed off, a look of fear crossing her features. Pyrrha saw this for a moment and was genuinely surprised. "We need to grow strong enough while we still have the time to counter it," Raven finished. Pyrrha had to consider her words carefully. Raven definitely had a point there. The stronger everyone was, the more likely it would be that they could kill Cell before he had the chance to grow any stronger. They were certainly stronger united than divided.

It was at that moment when someone familiar walked through the door.

"You called for me?" Cinder asked through clenched teeth. Immediately, Team JNPR were up on their feet in a defensive stance, despite not having weapons. They already knew this woman to be the perpetrator behind the fall of Vale. She had orchestrated the White Fang to attack Vale with a horde of Grimm to back them. Pyrrha knew her as the spy for Salem. She was thankful to Qrow for giving her this information before she left the Lookout. He cautioned her to be on the watch for Cinder, seeing as he had let her go. Why was she not surprised to see Cinder working for Raven now?

"You!" Pyrrha spat venomously. Cinder turned and scowled, a ball of powerful fire igniting in her hands. It was clear a fight was about to break out. A displacement in the air had everyone confused and momentarily stunned. In a second, Android sixteen was standing in between team JNPR and Cinder, defusing what could have been a disastrous situation. While Raven continued to sip her tea calmly, Pyrrha was gazing at the Android in shock. She had seen him move, but it had been so quick, she hadn't even had the time to react!

He regarded the team briefly, his eyes displaying no emotion whatsoever.

"She is no enemy to you. Her ties with the Grimm Queen have been severed," he spoke in a robotic voice. Pyrrha found it hard to believe, but she also had no proof to counter with. Just from the look of Cinder, it seemed that she had abandoned that cocky and all-knowing smirk and it was replaced with a depressive, regretful facade. Her amber eyes were almost… empty. Her dress was filthy, her hair was unkempt, and her hands had scorch marks all over them.

"You've got some nerve…" Jaune growled out. Nora couldn't agree more.

"What I wouldn't give to break your legs," she mirrored Jaune's anger.

Ren remained quiet but scowled angrily towards her.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Pyrrha demanded, turning to Raven. The black haired woman merely smirked.

"She possesses half of the Fall Maiden's powers and coupled with her inner energy, that makes her a tremendous _ally_ to have in the effort against Cell and Salem. However she is having trouble with her abilities, and since I am busy, I have called her here to discuss a deal with you lot," Raven explained. Pyrrha sat down hesitantly, not liking where this conversation was heading.

"What do you want from us?" Pyrrha growled under her breath. Raven smirked.

"We are on the same side here. We all want to live. I want to take care of my tribe, and you want your team's safety, as well as safe passage to Mistral," Raven started. "I'm going to say this… you, Pyrrha Nikos are to take Cinder here with you and teach her how to use the powers we wield. She has promised to be a good girl, so I don't see much of a problem there," Raven regarded the ex-minion of Salem. The look on Cinder's face was searing enough to melt steel. Her amber eyes bore into Raven's back with hatred and loathing. Anyone could tell that the girl hated being talked down to. Pyrrha couldn't help but notice the shattered look of pride behind the Fall Maiden's facade.

Turning back to Raven, Pyrrha's face morphed into one of disbelief at what the tribe leader was asking of her. Despite being a loss for words, she let the female Branwen continue.

"I have intel that a certain _Doctor_ is currently making his way to Mistral right now to meet with his informant. If you are able to procure him for me, I will happily let your team go," Raven offered. Pyrrha didn't like this one bit. She felt like she would make the wrong choice, but hesitation showed weakness. It was the last thing she wanted to give this woman. She was already in a bad situation. Giving Raven more ammunition to use against her was unacceptable, especially when her team's lives were on the line.

"How do I know she won't stab me in the back? Forgive me for being skeptical, but _she_ ," Pyrrha gestured to Cinder. "Isn't the most trustful person. I'd rather put my trust in a bloodthirsty beowulf," Pyrrha retorted. Raven found that statement rather humorous while Cinder just glared at Pyrrha with disdain.

"Listen… _girlie_ ," Cinder spat. "I've been double-crossed and had enough knives stabbed into my back to last a lifetime. I like _living_ , and Cell is my biggest concern right now because as far as I'm aware, he wants _everyone_ dead," Cinder walked over and slammed her hand onto the table in front of Pyrrha. The redheaded huntress didn't even flinch from the provocative move. Their faces were close enough for Pyrrha to see the magical power reflecting in Cinder's eyes. The burning embers of her very soul showcasing her furious emotions.

"You'll have to be more convincing than that," Pyrrha hissed, her emerald eyes narrowing. "How am I ever supposed to trust a person who was partly responsible for the attack on Vale, and the destruction of Beacon Academy? Your words are poison, and I'm not stupid enough to swallow," the amazon huntress finished. Pyrrha's teammates glanced at each other nervously. Jaune being the leader, felt useless in this situation, something that he felt _he_ should be the one negotiating, but it seemed Raven was only interested in Pyrrha, not them.

"You don't have to trust her," Raven smirked, drawing the attention in the room back to her. Pyrrha and Cinder looked like they were about to kill each other with the glares they were sending. "All you have to do is trust that Cinder here isn't stupid enough to attack and kill one of the only hopes of our survival as a species. We all know how powerful Cell is, and to beat him, we need as many capable bodies as possible," she finished while taking a final sip of her tea. Pyrrha took a moment to think over the tribe leader's words.

Once again, she was at a loss for words to argue that point. Despite how evil Cinder was, it was clear she would be helpful in a bout against the nightmarish Bio-Android.

"You have my word…" the Fall Maiden growled. "I will watch your back if you watch mine. Teach me how to control this stupid power, and we'll be just _golden_ ," Cinder finished as she took a step back. Pyrrha eyed Cinder up a bit. While her personality was just as cunning, cold and ruthless as ever, there was a hint of truth to those words. A foreboding feeling in the back of her mind still had Pyrrha thinking twice about the whole situation.

A hand rested on her shoulder, breaking her out of her intense thoughts.

"We'll be fine," Jaune spoke reassuringly. "Just do what you need to do."

Pyrrha merely sighed as she turned back to Raven. The older Branwen smugly looked at the young red-headed, amazon warrior.

"Do we have a deal?" she asked. Pyrrha swallowed and nodded.

"I accept," Pyrrha spoke with conviction.

"Excellent," Raven grinned as she flicked a photo towards Pyrrha. She caught it and looked at it, her eyes widening. This man was Doctor Watts. She was well acquainted with the man. After all, she spent most of her life growing up around him. He had done most of the sponsorship and promotion surrounding her rise to fame in Mistral. He was a very intelligent man, and he was a large investor when it came to potential Mistral talent. He had spotted her early on and had been quick to make many deals with her parents. She never pegged the man as the evil type, but he always seemed rather cunning and slimy.

It came as no surprise to her that he seemed to be working behind the scenes with Salem.

If Doctor Arthur Watts was working with an evil witch hellbent on the destruction of humanity, then things were only going to get more complicated.

This was a confrontation she was _not_ looking forward to.

* * *

Atlas seemed like your typical prestigious city filled to the brim with stuck-up rich people.

When Yang and Gohan arrived, they found the atmosphere of the Kingdom was more or less regal. People walked the streets with leather hide coats, fixed with that pretentious stereotypical walk. To Yang it was almost disgusting how people could act so oblivious when their world was on the brink of destruction. Perhaps it was ignorance, thinking that Atlas being defensively stronger than Vale would be enough to protect them. The trio couldn't fault that as being a bad thing, it was better than having the entire Kingdom in a panic.

"Soo…. where are you leading us Weiss?" Yang asked as the group has passed a few people on the streets. They would give Weiss some respectful nods as they walked passed. The Ice Queen ignored them for the sole purpose of getting to her destination quicker, despite the fact that it came off as her old Schnee regal attitude. She regarded Yang quickly, turning her head slightly to stare at her blonde teammate.

"The Schnee Dust Company Mansion, also known as my _home_ ," she elaborated with a certain amount of disdain in her voice. You didn't have to be smart to realize that Weiss's experiences at home were less than favorable. Anyone with a brain could tell that she despised the very idea of returning to this place, but it seemed that she had run out of options. Emails, missed calls, direct messages and even cutting off her monthly allowance. She had come to Beacon for the sole reason of getting away from her family and forging her own path. However, it seemed that through her best efforts, her father still had some kind of a grip on her.

Jacques just couldn't seem to take a hint.

Besides, she needed to investigate something that had been bothering her since Cell's revelation to the world. According to the information Qrow had given her, Cell had broken into the Schnee Dust Company headquarters and made off with more dust than anyone could imagine. The company had taken a hit in the financial area but nothing too extreme.

Cell absorbed people, from what Qrow had told her. He was like a parasite that gained power from absorbing the life force of human beings and faunus alike. If he was doing that, then what on Remnant did he need dust for? That was her original question when he had told her, however, since she had started to experiment with dust more, she came to a groundbreaking discovery that could possibly change the world. Using her energy, she could mix any kind of dust element with her blasts or energy waves to change the very nature of the attack! Combined with Maiden powers, and her crazy strength, there was no telling what she was capable of.

Not only that, but there was no telling what Gohan or Cell could do if they used Dust with their attacks!

She debated on whether or not to tell Gohan and Yang, considering that they were arguably some of the strongest people on the planet now, but she needed to be sure that her theory was correct and that it applied to all dust. She had only experimented with one kind, and that was just what she had left since she had managed to gather her belongings from the smoldering ruins of Beacon, before being moved to the Lookout.

"Where is it?" the Saiyan asked. Weiss pointed up the street. They followed her hand to see possibly the biggest dwelling that they had ever seen sitting on top of a snowed-over hill in the distance. Gohan had to admit, it made Bulma's home look like a dollhouse in comparison, and she was a billionaire from her earnings selling capsules. However, it was clear that Bulma didn't flaunt her money like Weiss's family did. There was no reason to have a house that big, other than to point out to anyone who walked passed it that you were rich.

"What!? That's your house!?" Yang exclaimed. Rightly so. It seemed to cover enough ground to be classified as a small village! "How many rooms are in that place!? A hundred?" she continued. Weiss rolled her eyes. A sound estimate indeed, but still incorrect.

"About a hundred and ten. Half of those are bedrooms taken up by the maids and servants," Weiss informed. Gohan swallowed slightly. He couldn't understand why anyone would buy such a large estate and have proper justification for it. He had lived with his mother and father out in the East District for most of his life and he couldn't imagine having a bigger house. It fit them just fine! Weiss's family having such a big home was something he couldn't exactly understand. At least Bulma's home at Capsule Corp was also mostly a laboratory, and she needed the space to conduct her work.

"Come on, we're wasting time. I want to be in Mistral tomorrow. I just need you guys to support me alright? My father is quite intimidating and… I would be lying if I said that I wasn't scared of him sometimes," Weiss admitted rather softly. Yang placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. A brief glance told Weiss everything she needed.

"We got your back Weiss-cream," Yang winked. The snow-haired girl didn't even give the blonde the satisfaction of reacting to a name like that. By now, Weiss knew Yang well enough to know that yelling at her and threatening the blonde would get her nowhere when it came to teasing and friendly name calling. Besides, she would be lying if she said it hadn't grown on her since her time at Beacon.

"Alright, let's get this over with," The group made their way over to the gate and let themselves through. Weiss still had her codes to get through the security. She had to let out a sigh of relief when the console had accepted the codes Each family member had their own codes to get in and out of the property. Her father had free reign to revoke them at a moment's notice.

Following the incredibly long and daunting footpath up to the front door, the trio made it there in a matter of moments and rang the doorbell. It wasn't a moment later when the door opened to reveal one of the people that Weiss actually treasured the most in her childhood growing up in her horrible dysfunctional family.

"Hello Klein," Weiss started with a friendly smile. His features resembled that of shock and relief. His bald head was as shiny as ever and his mustache neatly groomed. He was just as she had remembered. Friendly, kind and faithful. His welcoming expression brought a familiar warmth to her heart she had almost forgotten. He had been the one servant in her family that she could really call an uncle. He was there for her when she needed him, and was practically a family member to her, despite his clear role in the Schnee Mansion.

"Weiss! You've come home…" He smiled, but his smile turned into a slight frown. " _Why_ have you come home?" he asked. His concerns were understandable. He had always known that Weiss hated it here. She couldn't wait to leave and escape the massive pressure that had been placed on her by Jacques. The stress and effects that the Heiress title had on the girl were immense and everyone had noticed it. She was constantly trying to live up to the impossible expectations her father had placed on her. Not once did she ever give up, and while that was admirable, most of the servants- him included- couldn't help but pity her. It wasn't until her desires to become a huntress surfaced that she had begun to diverge from the path her father had been pushing her down.

"Building my own future," she responded in kind. Klein was silent for a moment before a proud smile came to his face.

"Never let anyone control you," he responded, almost as if he was reciting something on memory. Weiss nodded with a nostalgic smile. Yang and Gohan couldn't help but wonder if they were missing something while listening to this interaction. It seemed almost like a mantra that the butler had taught her long ago. Klein then stepped aside, allowing the three of them to enter the home of the Schnee's.

"Friends of yours?" he asked as they passed through. Weiss nodded as she gestured to Yang.

"This is Yang. She's a part of the team I was part of in Beacon. We were team RWBY. Our leader unfortunately… died in the downfall of Vale," the snow princess struggled to say. Klein could see the conflict and sadness plaguing her soul in the words that she spoke. He decided it would be best not to push the issue.

"The boy beside her is her… uh," Weiss turned and looked at Yang for the right word. Yang just grinned.

"Boy toy," she responded in kind.

"Boy to- wait what!?" Weiss cut herself off. Gohan just glared at Yang.

"That wasn't funny," Gohan groaned. Yang's grin didn't fade, but instead it increased even more as Weiss looked mortified to even be sharing the same space as her. Gohan's glare didn't leave his face either. Yang had to admit, she was great at coming up with ways to break the awkward atmosphere.

"Aw come on! The introduction felt kind of awkward, so I thought I'd break the _Weiss_!" Yang bit her lip, holding back hysterics from her genius humor. Weiss and Gohan merely sighed, rolling their eyes in unison while Klein chuckled at the blonde's quick wit.

"His name is Gohan, and getting back to the point!" Weiss growled as she turned back to Klein, who was finding the situation rather comical. "I have some business with my father before I leave and head to Mistral to meet with Winter. Is he busy at the moment?" she asked. Klein nodded.

"He is currently in a meeting with General Ironwood. They are discussing Atlas's future with the new threat of Cell. That monster has caused quite the commotion around here," the butler noted with a worried tone. Gohan balled his fists slightly, Yang mirroring his actions. Both of them wanted nothing more than to destroy the monster for the pain he had caused.

"Perfect, can you take me to him?" Weiss asked. Klein shook his head in denial.

"I'm sorry Weiss, but I am unable to at this time. I am very busy tending to your brother's needs. Mr. Whitley has me working around the clock for him," Klein responded in a depressive manner. Weiss balled her fists. She had never liked her arrogant brother. So smug and condescending. It made her sick how she could be related to someone so vile. He definitely took after her father's side of the family. Strictly business and never seemed to have a human side to him. Despite being older than him, Weiss could recall moments where he had caught her with her guard down and proceeded to talk down to her.

It was time to teach that arrogant prick a lesson in humility.

"I see," Weiss replied sharply and before anyone could stop her, she sidestepped Klein and started off down the hallway.

"Weiss, where are you going?" Yang called out. Weiss turned and scowled.

"To smack some decency into my _brother_ ," she spat. Klein and Weiss's two companions had to cringe when they saw the pure look of anger in her eyes. The venom that dripped from her tone was almost infectious. Yang liked to have thought she had seen Weiss angry before, but this… this was something different.

She had seen Weiss and Ruby bicker sometimes, and from her point of view, Weiss _had_ been angry.

But this?

Weiss looked like she wanted to really _hurt_ someone.

Just what had Qrow done to her over those months of training?

"I would suggest going after her," Klein offered as Weiss turned the corner and disappeared. Both Gohan and Yang turned to the butler as he turned to regard them. It was clear that he cared for Weiss, but there was a concern in his eyes that told them that she was actually going to hurt someone if they weren't there to stop her.

"Weiss doesn't seem like the kind of person that would hurt her family, does she?" Gohan questioned. Klein chuckled bitterly.

"Family? They may be related, but I have never in my life seen such a family so disconnected and hateful towards each other. The only person that Weiss actually is comfortable around is Winter… it was horrible for her when she left to join the Atlas Military. She was all alone, and I tried to do my best, but… I could never be her friend, just a close caretaker," Klein explained.

"I guess that explains where her attitude comes from…" Yang murmured. Gohan frowned.

"Come on Yang, let's catch up with her before she gets into trouble," the Saiyan said. Yang merely nodded in response. The two dashed down the hallway leaving Klein standing at the door. The old butler merely sighed in relief, knowing that Weiss Schnee finally had found some real friends that would stand beside her in her time of need. Closing the door, he returned to his duties, a look of happiness on his face.

It took just under a minute to find Weiss, and it seemed that she had already confronted the person that she had set off to find. In the middle of the hallway, the two silver-haired siblings glared at each other, a clear atmosphere of animosity between them. Yang and Gohan could practically see the disdain the two had for each other.

"So the _Heiress_ has returned with her little friends in tow. How quaint," Whitley Schnee commented from his standing position. Weiss was standing opposite of him, only a few feet away, her fists trembling with pent-up anger. Yang and Gohan were both ready to jump in and restrain the girl should she get violent. Although both of them would have liked to believe that Weiss was better than that. If the Schnee huntress could put up with living with Yang, Ruby and Blake for almost a year, then she could definitely restrain herself against her slimy brother.

"Whitley… I would say it is a pleasure to finally see my brother again, but we both know that this reunion is far from _pleasurable_ ," Weiss commented, her tone dripping with aggression. Whitley remained confident and controlled in his regal posture. Gohan noted Yang's hands balled into fists, the smug tone of Whitley's words already rubbing her the wrong way.

"Agreed. The heir to the Schnee Dust Company has much more important things to do than to stand around and involve himself in pointless, idle chatter with his failure of a sister," Whitley noted as he straightened his tie with a smug expression on his face. Weiss took a shaky step back while Yang's eyes went red. Gohan couldn't believe he was witnessing such a hate-filled conversation. "Oh, did you not know? Father has been trying to get a hold of you for months, but it seems you just never bothered to answer your scroll. For the record, it isn't really becoming for an Heiress to be missing important calls now is it?"

If Weiss hadn't already been preparing herself to give up the position, she might have frozen Whitley in a block of ice and watched with satisfaction as he froze to death.

"I really want to put this guy through a wall," Yang whispered. Gohan weaved his hand into her's. He could tell just by how much she was squeezing that she was barely holding herself back. He had to give her some credit, the blonde was trying her best not to blow her top.

"Heir?" Weiss stated in shock. "I was never told my position as the Heiress was disregarded, and that isn't something father would discuss with me over a scroll call! As far as I'm concerned, I am still in the line to succeed father," Weiss stated, clearly angry that her father had just gone and replaced her with Whitley without her knowledge! While it was partly her fault that she had been deliberately ignoring her father's calls, the fact still bothered her that such a position had been passed on so easily without her consent! Although, now that she thought about it, it wasn't actually that surprising. The same had happened to Winter once she joined the Atlesian Military.

"The moment you made the choice to study at Beacon Academy, father made the decision to elect me as the next candidate for the Schnee Dust Company CEO. You are now second in line to myself. It seems that father finally understood that there was no getting through to someone like you," Whitley commented. The temperature in the room literally dropped several degrees as Weiss clenched her fists, knuckles turning white in the process. "Be honest sister, did you really think after what happened with Winter, that father would just sit back and let you tread down the same path as her? Just because you went to Beacon instead of Atlas doesn't make a difference. Father knows best after all, and he saw that I was more than willing to take up the mantle than you, or Winter."

"Oh, I am going to kick this guy's-"

"Yang stop," Gohan stopped her from moving forward, clutching her hand and restricting her from going any further. Yang looked at him curiously, demanding an answer for why he had stopped her. He gestured quietly to Weiss. "This is her problem, let's see how she deals with it," he finished quietly. Yang frowned as she turned back to Weiss and Whitley. It wasn't her place to cut in, and this was clearly a family matter. Besides, Yang could tell that Weiss was more at peace with the fact that she and Gohan were here, instead of being alone.

"Fine," she muttered, an accepting smirk crossed her face.

"Excuse me?" Whitley raised an eyebrow at her sudden change in expression.

"This actually makes things easier for me," Weiss started, causing her brother's features to drop in shock. "I actually had only returned to tell my father that I no longer wish to be the Heiress to this fascist company. I will no longer associate myself with the riches and titles that come with the Schnee Dust Company,' she ranted. The look on Whitley's face was priceless. "Furthermore, I have no intention of ever associating with you or my father ever again. I can do more good out in the world as a huntress than I ever could being stuck here behind a desk. I was foolish to think I could ever try and redeem a _brand_ name for what they have done in the past. I will start by redeeming the Schnee name through my actions as a Huntress," Weiss finished, satisfied with her new resolve.

Whitley couldn't look more furious if he tried. Weiss watched as her brother descended into one of his usual pompous rants. It was clear he had insecurities about his position and his power. Just his look was enough to tell the trio that Weiss's acceptance of her dismissal, took away the high ground that he had.

"You idealistic barbarian! Do you even know what you are saying!? Father will not tolerate this kind of disobedience! Winter was one thing but-!" Whitley was cut off as Weiss slapped him across the face. His shock had only just registered before he found his world going black.

Weiss placed a finger against his forehead and flicked.

Whitley was out like a light. His body hit the floor unceremoniously.

Weiss smiled innocently.

"That felt better than I thought it was going to," Weiss commented, her tone much more cheery than before. Yang chuckled nervously as she looked at the unconscious form of the male Schnee. She never picked Weiss of all people to knock someone out like that. She was starting to realize that Qrow might have influenced her teammate more than she realized.

"You okay there Princess?" Yang awkwardly voiced her thoughts. Weiss turned with a beaming smile.

"Better than ever. Let's go talk to father shall we?" Weiss walked over her brother's body, making sure to step on him properly before leaving. Gohan and Yang watched with sweatdrops as Weiss made her way down the hall, walking like a satisfied princess.

"Well, that's one way to deal with a problem," Gohan noted as Yang stepped over the unconscious body, chuckling as she did so.

"I never knew she had it in her to knock her own brother out cold! Damn, Ice Queen has really come a long way!" Yang noted as the spot on Whitley's forehead started to bruise. The blonde cringed while Gohan did the polite thing and walked around him. "Can't believe Qrow actually managed to influence her that much. Seriously, I never would have thought Weiss would ever do something like that."

"Better follow her. Hopefully, she doesn't tear her father to pieces," Gohan commented before walking after Weiss with Yang in tow.

Besides, if this was what she did to her brother, they couldn't imagine what she had in store for her father.

* * *

She had been running for so long she had forgotten just how far she had come.

Using her semblance consistently allowed her to greatly improve her control and ability to change directions at a moment's notice. How long she had been running for was irrelevant. It had gotten to the point where she just had to keep going no matter what because stopping would be wasting time. Although to her, she wasn't really sure if time had any real meaning in the afterlife.

It felt like months had passed since she first started running along this stupidly and unnecessarily long pathway. As she continued to run, she found herself getting much faster and much more proficient in using her semblance. However, it seemed that she could finally see an end to this incredibly long-winded journey. Her heart practically jumped into her chest when the ending of Snakeway started to edge into her vision. Relief flooded her body as a wave of excitement empowered her to push forward.

"Is that the end!?" she voiced her thoughts out loud. She boosted the next couple of miles. Zooming forward and breaking the sound barrier, exceeding speeds faster than she was ever capable of going back on Remnant.

Ruby Rose had finally reached the end of Snake Way after a painstaking journey that had taken more months than she was willing to recall. She had finally reached the end. How she hadn't gone insane from the isolation was beyond her. Maybe it was just because she was dead. She had grown to accept that fact by now. The constant presence of the halo above her head reminding her every waking moment of this afterlife. It didn't make her sad or anything like that. Sure there was an aspect of regret, knowing that she'd probably never see her sister until it was time for her to pass on, but… there wasn't any maddening sadness to her fate.

During her journey, she couldn't help but think what the point of all of this was. It had been so long she had actually forgotten who wanted her, and why. She couldn't even remember if she had been told at all! It annoyed her that her memory was this dull, but she had never been one to remember such important details. She lived in the moment after all.

She skidded to a stop, reaching the very end of the pathway. She looked around to find absolutely nothing. She had been looking at the same scenery for months on end. It was crazy. Had she come all this way for nothing? She was about to scream in frustration when she looked up. She saw a giant round ball in the sky. It was like a moon. A green moon with a road, a house and… a tree? Was that where she was supposed to go? There was nothing left of Snakeway but an endless abyss of yellow clouds and a pink horizon. So naturally, it seemed that small planet in the sky was where she was meant to go.

"HELLO!?" she yelled out. She was met with utter silence.

No answer.

Figures.

As if her voice could carry that far. Turning her head, she couldn't find any other place to go than up. There was nothing on the horizon aside from clouds and more clouds with no clues or hints on where to go, or how to get up to the small planet.

Ruby sighed dejectedly.

How was she supposed to get up there?

Maybe if she got a running start she could use her semblance to catapult herself up there? It seemed like the only plausible idea she could think of. It was quite a distance, but she knew she was fast enough to get there. She steeled herself for the journey. She had to make this! She had come all this way, and she wouldn't back down now!

" _Alright Ruby! You can do this. Just, throw yourself at a planet!_ " she thought with a smile. That thought sounded insane, but considering the fact she had run along a pathway for god knows how long, she was willing to try anything at this point. All that running and usage of her semblance had increased her control over her speed more than ever!

Dashing back along Snake Way, she prepared for her ascent.

" _Here we go,_ " Ruby took a large breath in and exhaled to calm herself. Then in a flash of red, she exploded forward, a trail of crimson petals in her wake. She reached the end of the pathway once more, and using all the energy she had gathered, she launched herself into the air. The ground cracked as she rocketed into the air. A hurricane of red petals followed her body as she used every ounce of strength she had to push herself towards her destination. She really wished she had kept Crescent Rose in the afterlife right about now, using the recoil from her weapon would help project her further to the planet.

The planet got closer, becoming bigger and more prominent as her tiny little body zipped through the air towards the planet. She noted she started to slow down as she approached the planet at the height of her jump. She slowed almost to a stop, fear clutching her heart, but then something happened. An incredible force slammed into her body from behind. A force she had never felt squeezed her body tightly as she lost control of her body.

Gravity hit her like nothing ever had, sending her plummeting to the planet that was now below her.

"AHHHHH! LOOK OUT BELOW!" her screams fell on deaf ears, seeing as there really wasn't anyone present on the planet.

The surface got closer, and all of a sudden, she found herself slamming into the grassy fields of the planet like a little red comet. The solid ground gave way as her body split the very earth below her. Her head was spinning and her body was aching. Her mind absently wondered how it was even still in one piece after such an impact. After a few moments of groaning, she tried to push herself up but found that she was physically incapable of doing so. A force like none other sat on top of her, refusing to let her get up. She had to use all of her remaining strength to just force herself to her knees.

"Oh god… why do I feel so heavy?" she struggled to say. The air felt thick and her body felt like it weighed more than it should have. She had spent the past three or so months running! She wasn't fat! Why was she having so much trouble just trying to stand up? As her struggles continued, she completely missed a figure approaching her from the small yellow house a few meters away from where she had landed.

"Oh, it seems we have a guest!" A voice made itself known. Ruby forced her head up to see a small fat blue… _thing_. It was wearing a black robe of sorts with a strange looking symbol on the front of it. The being was wearing some black glasses and two antennae extended from the figures head. It also had long prominent pointy blue ears.

"Who…?" Ruby forced out. The figure smiled.

"You must be Ruby Rose from Remnant, right? You are here sooner than I would have thought! You actually almost came close to beating Goku's time!" He remarked lightly. A booming voice echoed from the other side of the small yellow house that the blue alien thing had emerged from.

"WHAT!?" In an instant, an older looking man with a similar halo as hers zipped around the corner at blinding speed. He wore the same orange clothing that Gohan wore. In fact, they were exactly the same in every regard. He had unruly black hair and an infectious grin on his face. He was looking at her in amazement as she struggled to get to her feet. Her entire body shook like an unhinged scaffolding. It was a mission just to try and stand up straight! Why did her entire body feel like it weighed hundreds of times heavier than it actually was!?

Last time she checked she was only fifty kilograms!

"I am… Ruby… Rose," she responded, breathing heavily. The gravity in this place was almost crushing. She found herself already sweating bullets. She knew she was a light girl, but she couldn't find the strength to even move let alone talk! However, it seemed that the man and the blue creature were moving just fine.

"It's good to meet you Ruby! My name's Goku!" Goku stated with a cheerful tone. That struck Ruby quite clearly. The similarities between him and Gohan were clear as day now. The facial features, body structure, personality. "From what I hear, you come from the planet Remnant! I've been keeping up with the events happening over there since my son ended up there by accident. You should know him, his name is Gohan."

Now that made sense to her.

She had a friendly relationship with him at most, but he often only hung around her sister and Blake, sometimes Pyrrha. Everyone else held some sort of basic friendship with him, even Weiss was a little distant. Ruby had to admit, she only started to get to know him around when the Vytal Festival started. It was a shame she died before she got the chance to really start a strong friendship with him. He seemed like a really nice boy. She turned her attention to the shorter blue-skinned figure who cleared his throat. He clearly wanted her attention.

"I'm King Kai, also known as North Kai of the northern galaxy. I have asked you here because we are all aware of what is happening on Remnant," King Kai started. Ruby held up a hand to stop the strange humanoid alien.

"That's… great and all… but… It's really hard… to talk right now…" Ruby wheezed out. She had managed to get to her feet, albeit her legs shaking like twigs that were about to snap. King Kai immediately realized what the problem was.

"Oh that. Sorry, Goku here was training with Piccolo so I had the gravity turned up a bit. I'll reduce it to a normal level for you… Give me a moment," the Northern Kai informed. His antennae wiggled around a bit before a small pulse of power shimmered out of the Kai. Immediately the gravity around her lightened and her legs stopped shaking.

"Is that better?" The Kai offered. Ruby wiped her forehead after breathing a sigh of relief. She jumped up and down a few times just to make sure everything was back to normal and working properly. She had to make sure her body wasn't damaged after feeling like she was being squeezed to death like a stuffed animal. How was anyone supposed to be able to cope with the pressure that was being exerted!?

"Much better! Thank you! I can stand properly now without feeling like I might be crushed!" Ruby exhaled. She looked up at the man and the Kai, getting a better, more observant look at them now that she wasn't struggling to stand. She dusted herself off and waved. They were complete and utter strangers to her, and from her previous experiences, she wasn't exactly the best when it came to meeting new people. She liked to consider herself an introvert when it came to social situations. She only really started to make an effort after she met Weiss and team RWBY was formed.

Being team leader required many things from her, and being silent and awkward was not one of them! Unfortunately, she was _still_ working on breaking that habit.

"Ahem… hi," she nervously waved. Goku laughed a bit at her awkwardness.

"So… you know my son?" the older Saiyan asked. Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, he was the librarian for our school. I think he might be dating my sister as well…" Ruby replied, her tone drifting off as she absently remembered the way Yang used to talk about Gohan. The older man before her nodded his head, a friendly smile crossing his features.

"That's great! At least he's okay. Having to watch him fight the Androids on his own for so many years was tough. I'm glad he's finally found some friends to help him through all that," Goku responded, feeling a bit relieved. Ruby didn't exactly know what the older Saiyan was talking about but just kind of went with it. However, it quickly became apparent that she wasn't here just to talk about Gohan when the Northern Kai once again cleared his throat to bring her attention back to him.

"Ruby," King Kai cut in, drawing the girl's attention. "When you died, I asked King Yemma to allow you to keep your body so that you may journey here and train with us. Remnant is in serious danger," he said seriously. Ruby's eyes narrowed in on the Kai, as if trying to piece together what he was saying.

"Uh, does this have anything to do with the creature that killed me? Cell?" She asked. Goku's carefree demeanor hardened immediately to a more serious one as King Kai just nodded. She thought back to the terrifying form of the creature that had murdered her in cold blood. There hadn't been any pain. She was just, alive one second, and the next…

Just blackness.

Then she woke up in Otherworld being screamed at by a blue ogre with horns and a megaphone. The afterlife was crazy!

"Yeah it does. Cell is made up of all of our cells. Mine included," Goku started. "We were unable to find Gohan after his fight with the Androids, so I checked to see if he had died by visiting King Yemma. Fortunately he hadn't come through, so something must have happened," Goku continued. King Kai decided to continue the story.

"We managed to find that Gohan had ended up on Remnant somehow, and with him, he brought all of Earth's evils with him, he-" King Kai was cut off by Ruby once again holding her hands up to stop the Northern Kai.

"Whoa, whoa! Earth? Androids!? What are you people talking about?" She demanded. Goku scratched the back of his head sheepishly while the Kai just sighed.

"I guess we have a lot to explain huh?" Goku laughed as he walked up to Ruby. "I guess I'll start at the beginning so it's easier to understand. When I was just a boy I lived on a planet called Earth, and on that planet, during one of my journey's I fought something called the 'Red Ribbon Army'..."

* * *

First Vale, then Vacuo and now Atlas. Ozpin was running out of time, and out of Relics to protect.

With all the discord that Cell had caused, it allowed Salem to operate undetected, infiltrating and stealing humanity's most powerful artifacts right from under their noses. He couldn't let her steal the last Relic situated in Mistral. He had done everything he was capable of doing to protect those weapons, and now with Cell on the loose, scaring practically every military body on the planet, it allowed her to take what she desired with almost no effort. Her secret associate had been running around, slipping through some of the most efficient and effective security on the planet and made off with the Relics without so much as a single conflict. Anybody who stood in their way essentially…

Disappeared.

He had been chasing this assailant for months on end with little progress on identifying who it was. Each time he managed to find a piece of information, a sense of guilt crawled up his spine and weighed heavily on his shoulders. Each piece resembled familiarity to someone he had known. He only wished he was wrong. He was only human after all, and despite all those who looked towards him as being the Great and Powerful Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy and one of the most powerful huntsmen to ever walk the face of Remnant… he still had his own faults and mistakes.

As the truth got closer, he could only imagine the kind of mistakes he had made to bring about something like this. Ozpin was a man who desired to know the truth despite how terrible it was. He needed to know so he could plan, and set things right. He had made too many mistakes when it came to Salem, and he was not willing to make them again, but despite how much he desired to know the identity of this assailant, his mind could only think of the worst possibility.

Unfortunately for him, when he found the truth, standing right in front of him, he couldn't help but conjure thoughts of denial.

Meters between each other, standing in a luscious green forest to the very north of the continent of Anima, Professor Ozpin stood in complete and utter astonishment.

Standing before him, a woman with skin as white as snow, and hair as black as the night sky. Her very appearance was twisted and corrupted, as if Hell itself had invaded her body and turned her inside out. It was a sickening sight, knowing what the woman once looked like, and seeing what she had become. It made his stomach churn. Had he been responsible for this? Was he somehow to blame for this poor woman to endure the obscenities that Salem had undoubtedly put her through? She had been so kind… so loving.

Such an honest soul.

"Gaze upon her, Ozpin."

The words came from the woman's direction, but not from her lips. He recognized the tone immediately, seeing as he would never forget the foul voice that belonged to Salem. Whatever the witch had done to this woman, it seemed to allow her to talk through her. The abomination appeared to be incapable of talking, as it just stared, emotionless and uncaring towards Ozpin's form. Nothing brought him more despair, knowing that he had unknowingly sent someone to their death. It was heartbreaking seeing her like this, and it would be even more devastating telling the people she had once been connected to, what had truly befallen her.

"Acknowledge your _failure_."

He said nothing. There were no words he could find to express the utter disgust he had for himself, and the hatred he was feeling towards the witch who had caused this. All he could do was stare in disbelief, praying that he would wake up and continue the search for the Relic thief. However, he was not one to mindlessly pray for a better alternative. This was real, and this was what the world was. Many harsh lessons and reminders taught him that Remnant was cold and unforgiving to people with such light inside of them. Only darkness prevailed and won. It always had, since the beginning of mankind.

"It had been so easy," Salem taunted, adding more fuel to the raging inferno that was Ozpin's silent rage. "Twisting and corrupting her mind. It is quite amusing actually. I had found her, broken and beaten in the darkness. If it wasn't for me, she would have died there, crushed to death by the weight of the world. I saved her, and gave her a new life, one of purpose…"

"Letting her die would have been _mercy_ ," Ozpin snarled back. His barely restrained anger was starting to become visible, and Salem's light chuckles informed him that she was loving every moment of his misery. "She isn't even human anymore, and I doubt she can even hear me. Does it make you happy, Salem? Do you enjoy seeing humanity crumble and cry out for mercy when it will receive none!?"

"Of course," she responded as if it was the most obvious answer. "Humanity is a cancer that must be cut out. Squabbling and fighting amongst themselves… faunus and humans constantly arguing and butchering one another because of their differences. Such arrogant species… they deserve nothing less of extinction. My children will thrive once humanity has been purged, and a new age will begin," Salem finished, chuckling to herself.

"I will be their _queen_."

"You are no better," Ozpin snapped back. "Look at what you've done to her. Can you say that you are any better? I can't help but see the hypocrisy in your logic."

"Perhaps," she idly mused. "Although, I am not bound by the same restrictions as those of this world. I am a Goddess, and the Grimm are my subjects. There is no room for humanity in this world, aside from those who pledge loyalty to me," Salem finished. Ozpin frowned, his thoughts lingering on her latter words. It made sense how she had gained the knowledge of the Relics and where to find them so easily. She had inside information, and those who bowed to her would receive mercy as their reward.

"So that's what you have promised your followers? Mercy and shelter from your wrath and vision. You wish to see humanity destroyed, and it never made any sense to me why anyone would want to work with you, despite what ideals they may hold," Ozpin retorted. Salem remained silent as the professor straightened up, and glared at the puppet before him, wearing a face that he knew all too well. "Now it makes sense. You've promised them a way out, but I _know_ you Salem. Once they have accomplished what you want of them, you won't have any use for them anymore and we both know what happens to those you discard."

There were a few moments of silence as Salem began chuckling, a dark aura creeping up around the puppet abomination before it erupted, full force. It almost blew Ozpin away, its power shooting past his own level and rising higher than ever. His eyes widened as the forestry and environment around him decayed and died as if the being before him was releasing some deadly plague. Black tendrils of raw energy extended from the Grimm-like woman and licked its surroundings like a starving animal.

"Keep spouting your pointless heroic speeches Ozpin. Keep on following my loyal subject like you are and you will find yourself walking into an early grave. I wouldn't want that to happen so soon. I do want the pleasure of killing you to be my own, but sacrifices must be made to ensure my goals are met. Try not to die Ozpin," Salem laughed as the power intensified. Ozpin's eyes widened as the woman threw her hands into the air, a dome of energy expanded from around her body, increasing in size and swallowing the area entirely. The Beacon Academy Headmaster barely had enough time to escape from the area.

He turned and flashed away, appearing on the tip of a mountain a few miles away, only to see the energy dome of the woman's attack completely swallow an entire section of landmass. The earth beneath his feet shook violently, and he was quite sure the entire world would be feeling the reverberations of this attack. There was no plausible way a single person on Remnant hadn't felt such a cataclysmic event take place. Once the dome had stopped, it exploded outwards, sending a shockwave ripping through the land. The mountain Ozpin had retreated to crumbled, forcing him to retreat once more.

The sheer raw power had completely decimated everything within the vicinity. What was once a forest mere seconds ago, was now a smoking crater, several hundred miles north of Mistral. Ozpin couldn't believe it. _Another_ person with abilities just as terrifying as Cell! It just helped to justify his reasoning earlier when Weiss had questioned him about the nature of life energy. A destructive force of this magnitude… it was inconceivable and had to be kept a secret. He wanted to protect the people of Remnant, and sometimes that meant protecting humanity from itself. If this kind of power was common, they would destroy each other!

Flashing to the center of the crater, he found nothing but ash and fire. Nothing was left from an explosion like that. It was a true sign that perhaps Remnant was approaching the end times, and nothing could have made the Professor more desperate to try and stop it before it happened. At the center of it all, his failures were brought to the spotlight. Glancing down, he saw burning embers from the garments the woman had been wearing. It almost brought tears to his eyes.

Burning pieces of white fabric, from a white, tattered cloak.

"I failed you…" his voice was barely louder than a whisper. He bent down and picked up the only piece that hadn't been completely turned to ash. His fingers curled around the piece of cloth, his fists tightening as his knuckles turned white.

" _I'm sorry… Summer Rose_."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So that about wraps it up for this chapter. We had a pretty big reveal here, and that's Summer's still alive and twisted to work for Salem. It's pretty brutal, and you may be wondering how it happened, and not to worry, that will be explained soon. So now we get to the good stuff! Ruby has finally reached King Kai, and she's met Goku! Yay! I bet a lot of you have been itching to see that interaction play out, and not to worry, you'll be getting plenty more soon. Our favorite little red caped huntress will be learning a lot from her time in Otherworld! Some of you might feel like Goku didn't have many lines. Don't worry! He will interact more with Ruby soon! Just be patient! :)**

 **Also, yeah… Menagerie got completely wrecked by Cell. Some of you might complain that it happened off-screen, and I did have a scene for it, but I scrapped it because it didn't really bring anything to the story. Ghira and Kali are… very minor characters again, sharing the same sort of spot that Taiyang does. It's not because I don't like them, heck, I love Kali. Milf Cat all the way you know!? But for real, I already have a solid cast to work on, and having so many split scenes between different places and different characters might be pretty hard to keep track of.**

 **I try and make it as streamlined as possible for you guys to easily keep up with events. I'm unsure how successful I am, but you're still reading and enjoying, and that's enough for me!**

 **Moving on, now Pyrrha and Cinder are being forced to work together!? Woe is me! Seriously, know that writing them has been an absolute treat. I love sticking characters together and watching them bounce off each other. I also love writing Cinder. She is a treat.**

 **Anyway, until next time!**


	16. Playing with Fire

**A/N:**

 **Phew! These last few weeks have been crazy! I hope you guys had an awesome Christmas and a happy New Year. On that note, it's officially been a year since I posted this story, and honestly, I've had a blast working on it. I've learned so many things about writing and this story only proves to show how far I've come and how much more I have to learn. I never thought writing DBZ crossovers would be so hard and so rewarding at the same time. Despite the many flaws and pitfalls I have encountered whilst writing this story and I am proud that I managed to push through them and continue developing This War of Mine, as well as Pride of Four.**

 **Thank you all and enjoy the latest entry!**

* * *

 _Chapter Sixteen: Playing with Fire_

Pyrrha wasn't quite sure how she was managing to put up with Cinder's constant quips and insults, but slowly, she was able to teach the insufferable woman the ins and outs of energy manipulation.

It was much easier than teaching her team, seeing as the Red Queen already had a grasp on what energy was thanks to Raven's teachings. However, that didn't make it any less frustrating, considering that Cinder took every opportunity to berate the girl. Due to the nature of their training, Pyrrha had taken Cinder a fair bit away from the town, knowing how destructive and deadly this power was. Raven had given her enough time to teach Cinder before she was expected to go to Mistral and retrieve Doctor Arthur Watts.

For about a week, they camped out north of a large clearing they used for training. Surprisingly, Cinder was quite receptive to the training, despite her vile personality. She had managed to get flying down, along with basic energy manipulation. The next thing they moved on to was sparring, and Cinder was _very_ ready to try and fight her. On the numerous occasions they locked horns, the battles boiled down to them almost killing each other. It was clear to Pyrrha that her death wouldn't bother Cinder at all, if not bring her joy. However, she wouldn't risk angering Raven or destroying a powerful ally against the looming threat of Cell.

None of that stopped Cinder's bloodlust, but only served to put a chain on a rabid dog.

Despite that, Pyrrha always emerged the winner, even when Cinder utilized her maiden powers. The redhead was just too used to fighting against people like Gohan and Cell. The bar had been raised in terms of what would challenge Pyrrha, but that didn't mean their fights weren't filled to the brim with emotions, adrenaline, and brutality. Cinder aimed to cripple, while Pyrrha merely aimed to incapacitate. It was disgusting to admit, but Pyrrha was almost hoping Cinder would slip up and perhaps get herself killed, but the redhead knew that the half-Maiden was much more capable than that.

"Fight me seriously!" Cinder hissed, her pride clearly unstable. Pyrrha stood a few meters away from her, standing up straight and waiting for the Red Queen to attack. She had purposely been playing defensively to aggravate Cinder, and it was obviously working. Cinder flashed behind her and went in for a strike, only to have Pyrrha effortlessly duck and sweep her leg across the ground, successfully taking the half-Maiden off her feet. Pyrrha rolled smoothly into an uppercut as Cinder's body fell directly onto her fist. The weaker woman flipped backwards, her back slamming into a nearby tree, cracking it in the process.

Cinder hit the ground, coughing and rubbing the area of impact. The redheaded superhuman merely crossed her arms.

"If I fought seriously, you'd probably die. Ever since I've learned to control this power, I've needed to be careful how I use it. Everything around you starts to feel like it's made of wet paper. People included," Pyrrha retorted sourly. Her emerald eyes scanned the half-Maiden's form as she slowly pushed herself to her feet, amber eyes glaring hatefully at her. "The fact that I'm even giving someone like you the gift of learning this power is an insult to the person who taught me. Gohan would be ashamed to know that I'm passing on his knowledge to someone as detestable as you."

"Save your insults, Nikos," Cinder spat. "I don't care what you think of me, or what that stupid boy thinks. Just shut up and fight me, and stop holding back! I'll kill you if you don't!"

Pyrrha's features hardened as she shot forward and engaged Cinder. Her movements had been so fast that Cinder barely had enough time to register her attack and raise her hands to defend against it. The sheer speed astounded the Red Queen. How could such power influence and change someone so rapidly? She couldn't help but allow her thoughts to drift back to the days when she had Emerald and Mercury scouting out Beacon for possible threats and annoyances. Before Gohan had walked into the picture, everything had been going smoothly for her.

While aggravating as team RWBY's escapades were when it came to interfering with Roman's heists and her personal tasks, they never exactly posed a threat. Then this strange boy called Gohan shows up out of the blue and changes the blonde bimbo and Adam's runaway girlfriend into fighters capable of annihilating her and all of her followers with one hand tied behind their back! Such an increase in raw power and skill was unheard of and completely ludicrous!

It was only when she had encountered Gohan that night in the CCT Tower that she realized she had vastly underestimated the situation she had been placed in. The boy had crippled her in a single attack. Her aura might as well have been made of glass because it shattered the moment his foot connected with her ribs! The sheer force behind the assault… it kept her up at night. She had _nightmares_ about him ruining everything, and as much as she hated it, that reality had come to pass only a few weeks later. That monster called Cell had attacked and completely ruined all of her plans. Ozpin had been expecting her and made the transfer.

She walked right into a damned trap!

Cinder grimaced as Pyrrha's blow connected, breaking through her guard and landing on her cheek. She felt the immense force of the blow on her jaw as she tried her best to resist the damage and the pain. Pyrrha's flaring aura coated her fist like an angry red flame, but Cinder wasn't about to quit here. Pushing back with renewed anger, fueled by her past failures and sorrow, the half-Maiden forced her head back around to its original position, despite Pyrrha's fist still residing on her cheek. The sheer fury in her amber eyes was enough to shock Pyrrha and give Cinder enough time to counter.

"You think you're better than me!?" Cinder screamed.

Throwing her fist into the girl's stomach, Pyrrha doubled over from the force. Cinder reared back and slammed both her hands onto Pyrrha's back as well as lifting her knee up to intercept Pyrrha's face. Her knee collided with the redhead's nose, forcing the girls head upwards. The Red Queen picked the huntress up and threw her into the air, firing off a quick blast to keep the girl stunned. The blast exploded, covering the redhead's body, a cry of agony escaped her throat bringing a sense of satisfaction to the woman.

Eager to keep up the assault, Cinder dashed forward, using her newly acquired speed to boost her agility. Jumping into the air, she nailed Pyrrha's airborne form straight into the ground. The girl cried out in pain as her body ricocheted off the dirt and skidded across the clearing.

"I don't need anyone's help! I never have! It doesn't matter who stands above me! Salem, Raven, Gohan, _You_ and _**CELL**_ **!** I'll surpass and kill you all! I won't rest until I am the strongest! Destiny be damned, I will be FEARED!" her screams of determination and rage had Pyrrha absolutely flabbergasted. It was as if she had completely lost her mind to her unbridled rage.

Landing, Cinder charged an energy blast in her hand, and without mercy, fired it at Pyrrha's prone form. Enhanced by the power of a Maiden, she let loose all of her emotions at the seemingly defenseless girl. The redhead clawed her way to her knees and threw up a hand, firing her own blast to intercept Cinders. The two beams collided and the clearing around them was blown away. Every tree within a hundred meters was uprooted and blasted away from the sheer force of the impact. The two beams of energy fought for dominance as Pyrrha slowly climbed to her feet and added her other hand to the blast, sinking more of her power and control into her energy wave.

Cinder roared as she pushed all of her power into the attack, overcoming Pyrrha's in an instant. Maddening laughter came from the molten gold eyed girl as she could feel her energy overwhelm Pyrrha's. A sense of satisfaction surged through her as her blast grew in size and engulfed the entirety of the clearing in front of her. With a scream, Cinder let her energy explode, as if to make sure Pyrrha's form was completely destroyed. She watched her blast rip through the land in front of her, destroying everything in its path.

Finally, she let up, deciding to conserve some energy. Raven had said that overuse could lead to death, and dying was the last thing she wanted to experience. She admired the trench she had created, and the burning trees and dirt were a nice touch. Breathing heavily, she looked around to see if Pyrrha had survived the blast, a small smile gracing her face when she found no traces of the redheaded huntress. A small chuckle escaped her lips, but before she could even open her mouth to celebrate, a force unlike anything she had ever felt before slammed into her back.

Cinder tumbled across the ground, falling into the burning trench she had created with her attack. In a rage, she quickly pushed herself to her feet to see Pyrrha standing where she had been moments ago, a furious look in her eyes. Gone was her golden breastplate and her golden knee guards. It seemed as if they had been melted off in the battle. She was down to what looked like her undergarments, combat boots, skirt, red sash and golden headdress. She had a red sports bra on that looked like it had been almost burned off in the heat.

Pyrrha Nikos was livid.

" _ **You…**_ " Pyrrha's voice was almost inhuman with the amount of anger Cinder could feel. The Red Queen blinked and the redhead was already in front of her. A bare hand reached down and pulled the girl to up by the scruff of her dress. The half-Maiden attempted to remove Pyrrha's iron grip but found she could barely even budge her arm! Pyrrha reared back her head and slammed it into Cinders. A throbbing pain clouded Cinder's senses as tears welled up in her eyes. A cry of agony escaped her lips as Pyrrha pulled her knee back and slammed it into Cinder's pelvis. Her legs immediately buckled, her vision blurring as a pain she was never familiar with raged throughout her body like a storm.

A mixture between an agonized scream and a plea for mercy crawled out of Cinder's throat as she fell to her knees.

"I've seen enough death and destruction from Cell to last a lifetime! I refuse to let another like him live!" the redhead vowed, a dark expression forming on her features.

The redheaded huntress threw the defenseless woman up slightly and grabbed her ankle. Using the momentum, she turned and slammed Cinder back into the ground. The dirt split and cracked upon impact. Cinder screamed as Pyrrha lifted her up again and repeated the merciless action. Blood continued to spew out of her mouth as the half-Maiden was convinced she was going to die. Pyrrha had a look in her eyes that demanded payment for the attempted murder. Cinder had definitely been going for the kill, and Pyrrha knew that.

Cinder was beaten senseless, her signature red dress had been torn in the merciless beatdown. Pyrrha let go of her ankle and pounced onto her stomach, pinning her to the ground. The next thing Cinder felt was a constant barrage of attacks landing on her face. She had to raise her arms to block the brutal assault, and having lost her aura and energy already, she knew she had lost the fight. Now it was a fight for survival. Pyrrha growled, taking a hold of Cinder's arms and wrenched them to the side.

Rearing her head back once more, Cinder wanted to plead her to stop but was unable as Pyrrha's forehead once again collided with hers. Cinder's body went limp, Pyrrha taking that moment to stop. Stepping off the Red Queen's body, the redhead stumbled backwards, eyeing Cinder's form through her blurry vision. A groan escaped Cinder's lips, a lucid and barely functioning body trying its hardest to stay alive. She rolled over to her side and threw up crimson liquid.

"I try to help you," Pyrrha growled through clenched teeth. "And all you do is throw it BACK IN MY FACE!"

Cinder could hear her words loud and clear, but the throbbing in her head refused to go away, along with the metallic taste in the back of her throat. She felt like she was dying, and it came as no surprise to her that if she continued to fight, the possibility of death was almost certain.

"You are despicable," Pyrrha hissed. "Every fiber of my body demands that I just put you out of your misery. You are a walking embodiment of hatred. I made a deal, and I intend to see it through for the safety of my team. However, if you try to kill me again, I will not hesitate to end your life."

"Just… kill… me… then," Cinder wheezed. The black haired girl managed to push herself into her back, strands of her charcoal hair falling over her molten gold eyes. She was beyond spent. The pain that she was currently experiencing was so great that it drowned out her normal emotions and thoughts. Strangely enough, she was almost at peace. Just now, gazing at the sky and watching the clouds drift on by with her hazed expression, she found a strange peace in it, despite the pain that plagued her body. Her mind was unnaturally clear.

Was this what it felt like to dance with death itself? She felt like she was knocking on Heaven's door with the amount of damage she had received. Pyrrha had almost killed her. She would never have expected the red-headed huntress to have it in her. Having observed Pyrrha's actions and tendencies from Beacon, she was kind enough to never hurt a fly and yet, here she was, having almost killed her.

"Excuse me!?" Pyrrha snapped. Cinder couldn't even find it within herself to react to the harsh tone of Pyrrha's voice.

"Kill me… already," Cinder replied weakly. She closed her eyes and listened to her heartbeat. It was loud, like war drums in her head. She could feel the hotness of her blood coursing through her veins. It was… enlightening to say the least. Was she high on the pain or something? Cinder couldn't understand it and could only find it humorous. Despite how hard she had worked and strived for power, here she was, lying there after getting the absolute shit beaten out of her for trying to kill someone who had been trying to help her. What kind of person was she? "I don't even… know why I… even bothered to try."

"What are you saying?" Pyrrha frowned, trying to make sense of Cinder's incoherent mumbling. "Make some sense!"

"Living," Cinder turned her head towards Pyrrha, a glint of sadness in her eyes. "I just wanted to be strong… I wanted to prove to the world that… I wasn't… weak. Maybe I should have just given up… that seems what destiny wanted me to do in the first place."

"Oh for goodness sake," Pyrrha growled, walking over to the crippled woman and picking her up. Cinder flinched in pain as Pyrrha's arms curled around her knees and back, picking her up bridal style. "You're pathetic."

"Where are we… going?" Cinder murmured.

"Back to camp."

"Why?"

"One, we are practically naked. Two, I'm tired and you need to recover after I lost my temper. Three, I don't feel like fighting anymore today, and four, I'd rather you sleep so I don't have to talk to you for the next couple of hours," Pyrrha retorted sharply. "Happy?"

"Do you… hate me?"

"The only person I hate is Cell. Do you want to be added to that list, Cinder?"

For the first time in her life, Cinder Fall really didn't want to be hated. If only for a moment, she wanted one thing and one thing only.

A friend.

" _No,_ " she thought as a tear escaped her golden eyes. " _I really don't._ "

=/=

* * *

=/=

Dark clouds gathered over the remaining citizens of Menagerie as if to mourn the losses the town had endured for so long.

Ever since Cell had rampaged through the peaceful village, the Grimm had been unrelenting in their bombardment. Even now, as the survivors fended off the latest assault, there was an ominous feeling that permeated throughout the village. A sense of decay and death hung in the air, something that the citizens of Menagerie could say didn't exist before the ruthless attack on their home.

Blake Belladonna sat atop a building, one leg dangling over its side, while her other leg was rested firmly on the edge. She held a knee close to her chest, an arm resting on her knee as her opposite bandaged arm was resting on her upper leg. She was dressed in a black tank top with dark grey, skin tight shorts. Her dull amber eyes drifted from the book she was reading.

Her mind had been so distracted lately.

She had good memories of this place. Growing up in Menagerie had been tranquil and uneventful but it just wasn't for her. She was a faunus rights activist, but that meaning started to change when she chose to stay with the White Fang after her father had stepped down as their leader. She began traveling down the wrong path. Thankfully, Blake had managed to pull herself out before she went too far. Applying for Beacon Academy had been a gamble, seeing as she was debating on whether to go home or not. She still wanted to make a difference, but the horrific acts the White Fang were promoting was something she couldn't agree with.

So she left and never looked back.

She had gone to Beacon to look for another way to help fix the relationship between humans and faunus, but she had been so scared about being judged that she had hidden her heritage. She had lied and manipulated people into thinking that she was just another human so they would look at her like a normal person. Looking back on it, she couldn't help but be ashamed. What did the bow actually accomplish? She lied to her friends and brought a rift between them she had never intended. Perhaps it would have been better to go without the bow.

A bit of bullying would have never have killed her. Velvet seemed to put up with it on a daily basis, maybe she should have too.

" _The world is a much bigger place than I thought…_ " her thoughts drifted through her mind, like a boat on a calm ocean. It was difficult for her to accept that her dream of bringing the humans and faunus together was a fleeting one. With Cell still on the loose and another group hell-bent on reforming the world in their image, it was hard to get a grasp on what to do. Her previous goal seemed like such an insignificant one now. Stop the White Fang and bring about a better image to the faunus as a whole. Return the organization to what it once was and hope that faunus and humans get along better.

Now she was out trying to save the world from beings capable of destroying it.

What had she gotten herself into?

She was Eighteen now. Her birthday had been a few days ago. Kali tried to celebrate it but Blake was having none of it. There were much more important issues going on than celebrating turning the legal age. The mere thought that she was old enough to…

" _Come on Blake,_ " her body shifted awkwardly in the breeze. " _Having kids is a fleeting dream at this point. Unless we stop Cell and whoever Salem is… I can kiss that eventual desire goodbye_ ," Blake thought. She wouldn't be having kids. Not in the world that they inhabited. She wouldn't burden her child by living in the reality that they did. Especially since that child would be a faunus. There needed to be some serious changes before she even considered creating new life.

Her eyes drifted back down to the book she was reading. The myths and legends tome that she had taken from the Beacon library. She was surprised that she still had it, but clearly, she had kept it wherever she had gone. For good reason as well. There was something here in Menagerie that she wanted to investigate, but she was still too injured to seek it out. There was no way she was going to leave Menagerie without either her mother or Sun knowing about it. Blake couldn't just abandon them. It didn't feel right to her.

"Hey!" A voice called out to her. It was a cheerful tone of voice, one that she recognized. Turning, she found the sandy-haired monkey faunus who seemed to follow her everywhere she went. She couldn't help but crack a small, warm smile when she saw the boy. He was starting to grow on her, and she couldn't deny that she was starting to develop a romantic interest in the boy. He was always there for her, something Adam was never very good at. She never considered the two of them to be actual romantic partners… maybe just on the physical side of things when stress overcame them, but Adam had changed.

He became obsessed, and his mind was clouded with hatred.

Sun was the complete opposite, and someone she would gladly enter a romantic relationship with.

Not that she would ever admit it.

"Hi Sun," she greeted with a smile. He walked over and sat down next to her. He was warm, like the very sun itself, he exerted light.

"I've been looking for you for quite some time. How are you feeling?" he asked. Blake sighed as she turned her gaze to her injured arm. She had seen under the bandages before, and quite frankly it was enough to make her stomach turn. Her aura was dulling the pain, but whatever had injured her had been enough to completely scorch her arm. The skin had turned black and it was peeling into bloody red blisters.

That had been a few days ago. She didn't know what it looked like now. Kali had been the one to do the bandaging. Blake refused to look in favor of saving herself the gruesome sight. Her mother did say that it was healing quite nicely considering the way it was when she first saw the state she was in, and that had been over a month ago. Blake still couldn't believe she had been asleep for a month.

"I'm getting better. It's a slow process, but I should be able to fight again in a few days," she responded in kind. Sun threw his hands back and laid down on his back, eyes drifting to the sky. His carefree attitude was something that brought her a bit of peace. Despite what had happened, and the threats that were still out there, he was still lying there like everyone would be okay in the end.

"Shouldn't you be heading on back to Mistral? What about Neptune, Sage, and Scarlett?" Blake asked. Sun waved her off.

"Ah don't worry about them!" he dismissed casually. "I sent them a message. I told 'em that I was helping you out with some issues. They told me to take as long as I have to. I won't leave you Blake, not when you need someone to help you," he responded. She opened her mouth to argue, however, her voice couldn't be found. She wanted to tell him to leave, and that she didn't need help.

But one glance at her arm told her that help was probably something she should accept more often.

She had gotten lucky with that Android. If it didn't have that glaring flaw about it, it would have killed her easily. It annoyed her that she was still _so_ weak. Weiss was training with Qrow, and from what she knew, Gohan was still training on the Lookout, Yang had gone home and Pyrrha was heading to Mistral with her team.

She wondered how they were all doing. It had been so long since she had talked to them… she missed them, but they had left on such bad terms. She hoped that Gohan and Yang fixed their problems. Blake didn't blame him, but she still held a little bit of resentment for keeping such important information from them.

"Thanks… Sun," she murmured softly. He looked at her, briefly stunned that she didn't yell or insult him like she used to. Instead, she had a look of acceptance on her face. Maybe it was just everything that had been happening lately. Going off alone to Menagerie was something she thought would be good for her.

Turns out it just brought her more pain. Cell had killed her father and a good portion of Menagerie in a fit of rage. Something had happened to the monster, and she knew that whatever he was angry about, was probably why they hadn't heard from him since the fall of Vale. He was in hiding or observing. He was looking for ways to reach his perfect evolution, something that sent chills down Blake's spine.

That monster was powerful enough as it was. The sheer increase in power he had gotten from absorbing Penny was downright terrifying. He went from being a monster to a freakish nightmare. His bulky, ugly form stained her mind. She could remember as clear as day, the moment Ruby was murdered by the monster. Her life, cut short.

It wasn't fair.

Her eyes drifted down to the book once again. She was reading the chapter about the Guardian of Remnant, and how one man used to watch over the world, protecting the innocent and smiting the guilty. He would protect the mortals from the Grimm, providing shelter and refuge. However, the book stated that he disappeared after the war with the monks.

He was rumored, as said by the book, to be located on the small unnamed continent, south of Anima. That was Menagerie, the land given to the faunus after their effort in the Great War and their protests. The entire continent was an isolated, tropical wonderland that was mostly desert. Apparently, this legendary Guardian had a temple somewhere in this region.

" _The Guardian lives inside a temple, which is rumored to only be accessible by; 'where sands touch the sky, to form the eye… descend into the iris,_ " Blake recited in her mind. It was as clear as day. It was a riddle, an annoying one at that. Just looking at it, she couldn't make any sense of it. The only thing she could gather was that this Guardian was out in the desert. Those deserts had barely been mapped out, seeing as there wasn't really anyone capable of doing so. It was just as dangerous if not more so than the Grimm-lands, not because of the Grimm, but because the sweltering heat and sparse resources made crossing it nearly impossible for even the hardiest of explorers.

It was a death sentence to even go out there.

Why was she even going to investigate this? She didn't exactly know why, but she felt like she had to, like it was important that she find out if this legend held true. If it did, she might gain insight as to why life energy was being kept a secret on Remnant. She highly doubted that the Guardian was still alive, but she knew she would find something. Maybe she could find something to help them defeat Cell? Perhaps a weapon or an ancient artifact? If Ki was real, then it was possible some of these other myths and legends held merit as well.

"You've uh… been focused on that book a lot lately," Sun commented awkwardly from his position. Blake turned her gaze towards him.

"There's something here in Menagerie that I want to investigate. An old legend in this book," she explained. Sun made a stupid, unintelligent noise. Blake just glared at him for his childishness.

"Aw come on Blake, they're just legends. You're wasting your time," Sun rolled his eyes. The jet-black haired cat faunus lifted her good hand and summoned a ball of purple life energy. It grew in size until it was about the size of a basketball. It crackled with energy. Immediately, Sun sat up and looked at it with amazement in his eyes.

"Woah… I've never really seen it up close. I only saw you and Pyrrha destroy that massive Grimm Dragon with a huge beam that looked like that," he commented as he reached his hand out to touch it, only for Blake to smack his hand away with her other, injured hand. While it hurt to do so, she was starting to regain control with it.

It was functional at least.

"Don't touch you idiot!" she scolded. "Unless you want to burn yourself to a crisp, keep your hands to yourself!"

It was enough for him to pull his hand back and smile sheepishly. The girl rolled her eyes as she turned her eyes back to the energy currently swirling in her hand. The sheer power that was being exerted from this ball of energy was powerful enough for Sun to feel its warmth. He could feel just how dense and dangerous it was after taking a good look at it.

"What I was going to say was… this," she spoke, gesturing to the purple energy in her hands. "Is also considered a legend. When I first heard about it, I thought it was…" she trailed off as her memories drifted back to the day she had first met Gohan. She was getting out books at the library. He seemed as normal as everyone else. Someone with such power had been hiding right under their noses. She should have suspected something was up with that boy. Younger than everyone else, aside from Ruby and he was part of the staff! He may have been a librarian, but Ozpin wasn't the kind of person to give away a staff position to just anyone.

Gohan was special right from the start. She had just been too distracted by the White Fang and Roman Torchwick to care.

When she found that he was teaching Yang how to control her life energy, Blake was more than just amazed and confused. How was it that no Huntsman or Huntress… or simply anyone had known about this amazing power? You could fly, increase your strength to unthinkable levels, fire energy blasts capable of flattening mountains. Surely this power would have been sought out.

But no.

It was completely unheard of.

Why?

"It is pretty hard to accept. If I heard anything about stuff like that, I wouldn't believe it till I saw it," Sun laughed. Blake just looked at him as he sat up, swinging his legs back and forth. "You know? Like, come on! Who would honestly consider that there was a power capable of destroying a Grimm DRAGON in one blast?" he laughed.

Was it really that simple?

"You might have a point there, but still… I have to know if this legend is real. It might answer a lot of the questions I have," she explained. Sun raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?" he asked. Blake returned her gaze towards the ground as she listened to the waves crash against the shore in the distance. The sounds of construction echoed in the background as the people of Menagerie worked tirelessly to rebuild their homes that had been trampled by a power-hungry nightmare.

"I'm not sure, I just-"

"Blake?" A feminine voice called. Both the jet-black haired cat faunus and her monkey-tailed companion looked towards the source of the voice. Sure enough, the older Belladonna was walking the streets, calling out for the younger woman. Blake immediately smiled warmly, seeing her mother with such a look of concern on her face was something Blake would never forget.

"Over here mom," Blake called. Kali looked up to see her daughter and, _hopefully,_ her future son in law. The boy waved.

"Hey Mrs. B!" he called out with a blinding smile.

"Hello Sun!" she smiled, turning to Blake. "How are you feeling sweetie?" Blake blushed a little at her mother's words. It had been years since someone had called her that. It was only ever her parents that referred to her by that name. There was a sweet, warm feeling that came with their words that Blake couldn't help but admire and love.

"I'm fine mom, just getting some air," she called back. Kali grinned.

"Well, you be careful okay? Your bandages need to be changed in about an hour-" Kali was cut off as a collection of screams echoed through the village. Sun and Blake were immediately on their feet, their heads swiveled towards the screams. In the distance, they could see people running from Grimm that had seemingly come out of nowhere.

Blake reached for her weapon, only to find that it wasn't where it normally was. It was back at the house where she had left it. The black cat faunus didn't think she was going to be using it anytime soon. It seemed like she had been mistaken. She was about to move forward before Sun stopped her.

"Hey, you need your rest," he placed a hand in front of her form. She turned and scowled at him. Who was he to tell her what she could and could not do? If she wanted to fight, she would damn well fight! Some upstart monkey boy wasn't going to order her around. "I've got this," he stated, taking out his staff, holding it tightly in his hand.

"I'm going with you," Blake snapped. Sun turned to her, a look of authority on his face.

"You are in no condition to help Blake!" he shot back at her. The girl's mouth clenched at the retort.

"I can fly Sun! I can provide cover from the sky. I'm not exactly helpless. With these powers, it's not like I can't fight without Gambol Shroud," she snapped back. Sun looked at her harshly, a glare in his eyes. She felt rather guilty for snapping at him. He was only trying to look out for her, but she knew she couldn't just stand by and let Grimm attack the village she had grown up in.

"...fine," he caved. Blake let her shoulders relax. She hadn't even realized she had gotten so tense. "But only if you stay in the air. I don't see any flying Grimm so you should be safe. That arm of your's isn't ready for fighting just yet," Sun continued. Blake sighed heavily. She could accept that. At least he was letting her help.

Wait.

Since when did she need his approval!?

"Let's go," Sun hopped down from the roof and took off towards the chaos. Blake turned and looked at Kali who was returning her gaze with a look of concern and worry.

"You be careful now," Kali said softly. Blake nodded, a purple aura flaring up around her as she took off into the air. She ripped through the sky, flying towards the chaos. There were hordes of Grimm pouring into the town and people were desperately trying to fend off the smaller Grimm. However, Blake could see the larger ones making their way into the town.

Taking one look at her bandaged arm, she clenched it tight. She had enough energy to make a difference. From up here, she would be able to help out. Raising her arm, she began to shoot off energy blasts, bombarding the horde of Grimm. The purple energy waves landed and disintegrated any monster that they touched.

" _It's getting easier to control my energy,_ " she noted as she fired off a view more. Dozens of Beowolves and Boarbatusk met their end from the energy blasts that were raining down from the sky like a volley of colorful death. Blake had to admit, this was extremely efficient in dealing with Grimm. Ozpin was right when making the observation that Grimm were weak to life energy.

Just then, Deathstalkers made themselves known as they emerged from the sand in the distance and started to make their way towards the town. Blake looked down, noticing that the number of Grimm had been significantly reduced thanks to her actions. Sun was down there fighting the bigger and stronger Grimm, while a small army of black, white and red started to move towards the remnants of the village. People were terrified and exhausted. They wouldn't be able to hold off an assault like this.

There were hundreds of Grimm, all rampaging across the desert towards Menagerie.

"Sun! Deathstalkers!" She called out. Once he had killed the Grimm he was dealing with he made his way on top of a nearby building. He examined the situation from his vantage point, his eyes widening. He couldn't count how many Alpha-class Grimm that were rampaging towards them. Beringel and Alpha Beowolves as well. He could even see Boarbatusks that had an incredible amount of bone-like armor covering their bodies, more than he had ever seen on that kind of Grimm before. They looked battle-scarred, giving off the impression that these Grimm had lived through battle before.

"Beringel too! Do you have any ideas, Blake?" He yelled up to her. She watched as they approached, kicking up a sandstorm as they did so. The citizens had managed to form something resembling a barricade at the edge of the town where the Grimm would undoubtedly attack first. If the Deathstalkers or Beringel made through to the barricade, there would be nothing stopping the smaller Grimm from overrunning the remains of the town.

She couldn't let that happen.

"I may have an idea," she called back. Sun scowled.

"Nothing reckless I hope!?" a frown appeared on Blake's face.

"Uh… maybe!?" She called back. Sun growled.

"Don't do it Blake!"

"We don't have a choice! I have to try!"

Sun didn't respond. He positioned himself to catch her in case she fell. She turned her attention to the growing horde of Grimm that was currently only a couple of hundred meters out from the town's perimeter. She had to do this now or she wouldn't get a chance at all. She lifted her hands to her forehead, memories coming back to her of an attack that Gohan had taught, her, Yang and Pyrrha during the time of the Vytal Festival.

" _Okay Blake. You were pretty garbage at these 'heavy' attacks, but now isn't the time to really think about that,_ " she thought as a bright yellow ball of electrifying energy appeared in her hands. She had to really focus and charge this attack up, otherwise, the impact wouldn't be as big as she needed it to be. She had no idea what to expect, or how large the explosion would be. Gohan had shown them what the attack was and why it was different from normal blasts.

This was the Masenko.

That's what he called it anyway.

From his demonstration, he showed that it had enough power to take off the top of a mountain with relative ease. She knew, even from that demonstration, that this attack could do much more than that. He hadn't even channeled that much energy into it. She was extremely good at sensing energy since she had learned how to do it. He had barely put a percentage of power into that attack when he showed them.

She had grown much more powerful since then. Blake was actually quite worried about how powerful this blast would be. Would it be enough to wipe out the Grimm? Or would she fail miserably? Regardless, she had to try.

Blake continued to channel energy to her hands, the attack growing more fierce and dense. It eventually reached a point where she knew it wouldn't be safe to put any more into it, and thankfully it hadn't taken long, but a significant portion of her energy had been drained from her. She had to make this count.

"Okay, here goes nothing!" She threw the Masenko forward, the attack exploding from her hands. The recoil and sheer force that had erupted from her hands was almost enough to send her spiraling backwards had she not been prepared for the backlash from the blast. Thankfully she had leaned in forward as she fired, just like Gohan had instructed.

The attack thundered forwards, heading directly towards the Grimm army. It took mere seconds for it to connect. When it did, the entire sky and the surrounding area was caked in a pristine golden glow as the explosion deafened just about everyone in the area. The shockwave tore through the town as people were thrown off their feet, windows were shattering and scaffolding caving in on itself.

The oncoming Grimm were decimated.

"Holy crap!" Sun exclaimed as he shielded his eyes from the harsh winds. Blake did the same, as well as keeping herself anchored properly in the air. If she didn't have such good control of her energy, she would have been blown away like a plastic bag in a hurricane. After a few moments, the light died down, and the winds ceasing as the full extent of the damage was revealed to the onlookers.

The Deathstalkers and Beringel were completely gone. The sand where the attack detonated had turned to glass. The sheer impact was large enough to create a smoking crater of sand and glass. Sun had to rub his eyes, and pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Blake was just as shocked as he was. She couldn't _believe_ that she had just done something like that! This was beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

Slowly she drifted down and landed next to Sun on the building he was crouched on. When she landed, he turned to her with wide, amazed, and shocked eyes. She returned his gaze, mixed with relatively the same expressions and thoughts that he was having.

"That… THAT WAS AMAZING!" he exclaimed. Blake cracked a small, nervous smile.

"Yeah… I'm a little shocked myself…" she stated honestly. Her heart was beating incredibly fast. She had pulled off something that no huntsman had ever done. Aside from maybe Qrow and her friends… but still. She had managed to channel enough energy and power into an attack to not only destroy all the oncoming Grimm but turn the very sand below them into glass.

"You're like a superhero!" Sun exclaimed.

Blake just laughed weakly.

Sure. _Real Super._

 _=/=_

* * *

=/=

A look of wonder was evident on Ruby's face as the older man told the story of his origin.

Her eyes sparkled and shined with amazement as he described his adventures in vivid detail. It was the kind of life that she wished to live, it was like she had always dreamed… to be a hero and protect those that couldn't defend themselves! She desired to try and make Remnant a better place. Goku had been on so many adventures, and along the way, he had learned so much but he had also lost so much more. The way he described his fight with King Piccolo and Vegeta… and then Freeza. She didn't think someone could be more terrifying than Cell!

The infamous Lord Freeza, intergalactic emperor hell-bent on wishing for immortality. Someone who was responsible for mass genocide on an interplanetary scale! The amount of power that Freeza must have had would've been mind-boggling, and to make things worse, apparently Cell was several times stronger than him!? Ruby couldn't believe what she was hearing! How were they supposed to deal with a threat like that!?

"...and then, I finished off Freeza once and for all. It was a few years later, but I caught this heart virus and died shortly after. It's a shame really, since I died a natural death, I can't be wished back to life by the Dragon Balls," Goku sighed rather sadly. Ruby could see that there was some sadness in the joyful man's eyes, but she knew he was happy. He didn't seem like the type of person to dwell on these sorts of things. It was just like Qrow had told her when she was little, you have to keep moving forward. Goku seemed like the type of guy to always keep moving forward, no matter the obstacle.

Even when death became an obstacle.

"Holy moly! That's awesome! All those fights you had must have been amazing! -... ah you know, aside from the… ah… dying part," she trailed off. Goku chuckled as he leaned back in his seat. King Kai had been nice enough to provide some food for them while Goku told his story. It was safe to say that Ruby now fully understood what was going on, and just how dire the situation on Remnant was.

"Yeah! It was fun while it lasted. What I wouldn't give to go back and fight those Androids myself! Although, it seems my son already took care of that, so I have nothing to worry about… save _Cell_ ," Goku's features darkened. The mention of her killer sparked a visage of fear to appear on her features. Ruby's memory of Cell was very vivid. She could still remember the shaking terror she had experienced when he absorbed Penny.

"What are we going to do?" the daughter of Summer Rose asked. The full-blooded Saiyan merely stood up, a determined smirk on his face. It was clearly evident by his expression that he had something planned, and now he had Ruby waiting in anticipation for his answer.

"We're going to train you," Goku started. Ruby blinked for a few moments before grinning. She jumped up into the air and landed directly on her feet as if she were ready for a battle.

"Yeah! I'm totally ready- wait. _We're_?" she questioned with a quizzical look on her face. Goku gestured behind her. She turned to see a rather large shadow towering over her. The figure was at least a couple of heads taller than her. It was big, green, had long pointy ears and was quite possibly the strangest creature she had seen since Cell had made his appearance. She swallowed tentatively as the large imposing figure glared menacingly at her. She smiled and waved as sweat started to form on her forehead. Goku perked up, his infectious smile covering his features.

"Hey, Piccolo! You come by for another spar?" Goku chirped with excitement. Piccolo regarded his longtime rival with a glare out of the corner of his eye. The wise Namekian stood tall and proud, representing the strongest of his race. It was unfortunate that he had met his untimely end to the Androids so long ago. It felt like an eternity had gone by since his death.

"King Kai informed me that we would be training this girl to help her, for when she eventually gets revived. Apparently, she is a friend of Gohan," Piccolo looked down at the girl. She spluttered nervously and waved since she was unable to formulate any words. A growl from the Namekian sent a cold shiver down her spine that almost made her wet herself. "She doesn't look like much. With a power as weak as hers, there's no wonder King Kai had to lower the gravity. I guess it's up to us to whip her into shape," he finished as he removed his turban and cape.

" _OHMYGOSH-HE'S-SO-SCARY!_ " Ruby internally screamed.

"Yep!" Goku grinned brightly. "I thought we'd give her the good old double team treatment to see how she stands against us," the Saiyan suggested. The edges of the Namekian's mouth grew as Ruby started to pale. She didn't like where this was going. Was she going to fight these two? They had stood up to the likes of a galactic tyrant! She was… just Ruby Rose! Avid huntress!

There was no way!

They had to be kidding!

"Ah… wait a second! I don't think I like the idea of this…" she voiced her opinion. Piccolo snorted in an uncaring manner. An overwhelming energy sparked around Piccolo as a flaming white aura erupted around him. His muscles bulged out and his power skyrocketed. Being unable to sense energy, Ruby couldn't understand what was going on, only able to marvel at the display before her. He looked incredibly intimidating and the more he powered up, the less she wanted to fight him.

She didn't want to fight at all!

"Tough. You don't get a choice," he snapped back. Ruby pouted as fear started to overcome her body.

"Come on Ruby! It'll be fun! From what I hear you're pretty fast, so we'll go easy on you. Just try and keep up, okay?" Goku grinned. Ruby swallowed nervously as she looked at the full-blooded Saiyan warrior standing before her. His smile was incredibly misleading, and she had no idea what to expect.

"Are you ready?" Piccolo called out. Ruby wanted to cry.

"NO!"

"And…. GO!" Goku called as both he and Piccolo disappeared from sight. Ruby immediately panicked. She vanished into a swirl of rose petals. She zipped backwards just in time to see the ground she was standing on split apart from the force of Goku's fist. He was laughing as if he were having fun. It was like he was a child playing with other kids. Ruby however, was not of the same mindset. Her mind turned to mush and her instincts kicked in as she turned and ran as fast as she could. Her increased stamina and control over her semblance allowed her to use it much more efficiently. However, that wasn't stopping her from being turned inside out by one of these titans.

" _HOLY MOLY! HE WASN'T KIDDING ABOUT HIS STRENGTH! THEY'LL TURN ME INTO ZWEI FOOD!_ " Ruby zipped around King Kai's planet in a flurry of rose petals. Dashing in and out of her two trainers' attacks. She could tell they were going easy on her, but all she could do was run away. She was fast, not strong and burly like Yang was. She couldn't fight without her precious weapon! Oh, how she wished she had Crescent Rose right now! She would be able to fight back, albeit ineffectively, but at least she wouldn't be restricted to just running away!

Ruby came to a screeching halt as Piccolo appeared in front of her and fired an energy beam at her. She squealed and ducked her head, allowing the blast to sail over her and into the only tree on the planet. In a flash, it was turned into a smoldering pile of ash. Ruby wanted to faint but knew if she did, she would pay for it later.

"Are you trying to kill me!?" she screamed indignantly, only to have Piccolo appear behind her and backhand her, sending the poor huntress spiraling a few feet away. She hit the ground hard, kicking up dirt in the process. She groaned as she dizzily pulled herself to her feet. If she had screws loose in her brain like Weiss had told her many times before, she was pretty sure they were now rattling around inside of her head, completely unhinged.

"STOP TEARING UP MY PLANET!" King Kai roared over the commotion, but his cries went unheard as Goku and Piccolo kept up their onslaught. Ruby continued to run away, dodging various attacks and blasts aimed at her.

She was incredibly fast. Goku and Piccolo had to admit that. Where she was physically weaker than a twig, she made up for in incredible speed. With enough training, she could be the fastest person in the universe! However, at her level, she wouldn't stand a chance going up against those who had trained for years in the arts. They were much faster when powered up, and despite Ruby's impressive speed, to them, it was as if she was struggling to move through water.

Goku powered up, a golden light flaring around his form as he transformed into his Super Saiyan state. Piccolo merely looked at him strangely.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" he asked distantly. Goku smirked.

"Na… I'm just going to give her a taste of how fast she can be," and with that, Goku merely vanished. Ruby was still zipping around the planet at the blink of an eye, but in a few moments, she stopped dead when she found Goku standing in front of her with a golden light circling his body. She cried and turned to flee, only to find that he was in front of her once again in the blink of an eye. She turned, and couldn't find an escape route! It was as if Goku had multiplied his body and had covered all escape routes!

"Ah! Please don't hurt me! I surrender!"

"It's fine, Ruby," Goku laughed cheerfully. "I wouldn't fight you in this form yet. You're nowhere close to being ready to fight a Super Saiyan. I was just showing you how fast you are capable of going. Trust me, it may seem like I've cloned myself, but really… what you are seeing is just me, moving much faster than you can perceive," the Saiyan explained. Ruby managed to calm herself down and get another good look at her mentor. She stared at him with amazement, recognizing the familiar form almost immediately.

"Woah… that's… that's the thing I saw Gohan use… is that what its called?" she stammered, pointing at the golden light. Goku merely smirked.

"This is my Super Saiyan form. It increases my power exponentially. All my physical attributes are increased. Even speed," he explained. He vanished in front of her and appeared behind her in a split second. She didn't even have time to process what had just happened. She turned around to find Goku's hand on her head, ruffling her hair, just as her father would when she was just a little girl.

"You've got a long way to go, and we don't have much time. I'm going to push you very hard over the next couple of months until you're revived," Goku explained as he powered down. Ruby looked at him quizzically before looking down at the ground with a saddened expression.

"You keep saying that I'm going to be revived, but Remnant doesn't have Dragon Balls. You told me that since Piccolo died on Earth, the Guardian Kami died with him turning Earth's set to stone. How am I going to be revived?" she asked. It wasn't Goku that answered her this time, it was King Kai.

"Namek has a working set. We can use those. Since Goku has achieved many good deeds in his life and defeated Freeza, he has been granted a special privilege to return from the dead four twenty-four hours. King Yemma has already given the go-ahead, all we need to do is contact Baba to go through with it. From there, Goku can use his Instant Transmission technique to get to New Namek and use their Dragon Balls to revive both of you, " the North Kai explained. Ruby smiled, but it soon faded quickly.

"How am I supposed to get back to Remnant though?" she asked. Goku grinned.

"Well just like King Kai said, I have a special technique that allows instantaneous movement! It's like being able to teleport!" Goku exclaimed. The look on the crimsonette's face couldn't have widened in excitement any further.

"Let me show you how it's done," he smirked. In a moment, he placed two fingers to his forehead, a stern look stretching across his face. In mere seconds, both Goku and Ruby vanished from North Kai's planet and appeared back at the beginning of Snakeway. Ruby looked around in absolute wonder. She had basically teleported back to where she had first started!

Wait!

"Hold on just a second! Are you telling me you could have come and picked me up when I first got here?!" Ruby almost screeched. Goku scratched his head sheepishly at this one. It hadn't ever occurred to him to go and pick her up and save her the long journey down Snakeway. Oh well, the Snakeway journey built character. She had clearly benefited from the journey. Based on her comments much earlier, her control over her speed was leagues better than it previously was.

"Uh… yeah, I guess," he laughed. Ruby wasn't laughing, and her face told the older Saiyan that she wasn't amused in the slightest. In fact, her face was starting to go red with anger.

"I spent six months running down that stupid pathway! Do you realize how bored I got!? All I had to eat were these funny looking clouds that tasted like chocolate chip cookies and strawberries!" she snapped violently. "As much as I love clouds that taste like my favorite foods, I really would have preferred to eat something else after the first month on Snakeway!" she finished with a growl. Goku held up his hands in a surrender motion as a nervous chuckle escaped him.

"I'm sorry! Really, I am! It never occurred to me to come and get you. Besides, running along Snakeway helped you improve your speed, right?" he asked. Ruby opened her mouth to respond but shut it childishly as she couldn't argue with the point he had just made. Sure, she had gotten a whole lot faster and her control over her semblance had improved greatly. However, she still wasn't happy about it. Six months of isolation really had her craving for some company. She was practically ecstatic when she finally saw the planet in sight.

"Can't you just teach me the technique now?" she asked. Goku just laughed, causing Ruby to pout further.

"Well you need to learn how to harness your energy first so that's where we will start!" the older Saiyan informed the younger girl as he placed a hand on her shoulder and instantly, they were back on North Kai's planet. Her head was still spinning due to the fact that such a rate of travel was even possible. Putting her frustration with Goku being able to pick her up months ago behind her, she decided it would be best to get on with her training. "We should start with basic meditation, to get in touch with your inner strength."

"So, we're starting with teaching her how to harness her energy?" Piccolo cut in, looking a little less happy than Goku did. "I guess that's a better place than any. Let me know when she can control it proficiently, then I can teach her the more advanced methods," The Namek seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face. Although, the longer Ruby looked, the less it looked like a scowl and the more it looked like a careful, calculating face. Goku nodded as he turned back to Ruby.

"Yep! I'm sure she will pick it up quickly. Just imagine how fast she can be if she learns how to harness her energy! I think teaching her the Instant Transmission will be a cakewalk since she seems to be a quick learner. She managed to survive against us for a couple of minutes. She definitely has potential!" Goku exclaimed. Piccolo regarded the smaller girl. He couldn't help but make the comparisons between Gohan and her. Both of them had a surprising amount of inner potential.

Although, the stupid amount of innocence plastered all over her face was something that made him sick to his core. He would be sure to wipe it clean out of her system. Her fighting instincts were something to be praised, but her sense of mercy and just how often she second guesses herself would be something that needs fixing immediately. All of her flaws had become apparent in their short spar, which consisted of her mostly running away. The more he watched her, the more he realized that she seemed to think far too much during the midst of combat. She second-guessed the way she moved, and that was a problem.

The Namekian watched as Goku took a step forward, a determined look on his face.

"Let's get started then, shall we?"

=/=

* * *

=/=

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Opening the door to her father's study, Weiss Schnee strode forward with Gohan and Yang trailing behind.

They were there for her support, and as long as she needed them they wouldn't be going anywhere. The girl in question had now gathered up the courage to face her father. It was a lack of confidence that stemmed from her childhood that prevented her from doing so before. Jacques had demanded respect and authority over his children, and in some instances, he came across as a tyrannical dictator. There was still that underlying subconscious fear rooted deep in her psyche that forced her to follow her father's orders.

"Father."

He regarded her, looking up from his desk. There was a stern, stormy expression plastered on his features. Just from the look in his eyes, both Yang and Gohan knew immediately just how dysfunctional this family was. He didn't even look at Weiss like he was looking at his daughter. He was looking at her as if she was some kind of missed opportunity. It made Gohan feel uncomfortable, while it started to fill Yang with anger. Regardless, there was not much either of them could do, and they were here on behalf of Weiss to help her should she break during this confrontation.

She didn't want to be alone, and that was perfectly understandable.

"Hello, Weiss," he stated calmly. Weiss approached the man and stood in front of his desk defiantly and confidently. A battle of wills and years of resentment raged on when their eyes met. For years Weiss had tried to live up to the Schnee family name. For years she had strived to make her father proud, and hope that one day, she might take over the company and right the wrongs of this business. She had been so ready to prove herself whilst at Beacon, but things had changed since then. Things always changed with time, and that was starting to become more clear to her than before.

Her mind was made up, and her goals and ambitions had changed.

" _Stop trying to impress people. This world is a cruel one. Carve your own path as Weiss. Not the Schnee Heiress. You'll only find disappointment and hardship at the end of the road_ ," Qrow's wise words had circled in her mind before she had left the Lookout to find Gohan and Yang. She knew she couldn't keep trying to replace her father. It was a foolish endeavor to think that a change in leadership would erase years of resentment and wrongdoings. It would take decades to even begin to stitch the wounds of the almost irreparable relationship, between the humans and the faunus.

The Schnee name was damned. It was why Winter had left the standards behind and started to carve her own path as Winter Schnee, instead of just an another Schnee. If Weiss was to move on with her life and become the best huntress she could be, she had to find a new goal worth fighting for. Her family… or this part of her family was already too far gone. There was a part of her that felt sick, the idea of turning her back on her previous ambitions left an unwelcome sense of guilt to weigh her down. She felt like a traitor to her own name, but really, what could she possibly do?

"I was informed by my brother that my Heiress title was revoked during my time away from Atlas, without my knowledge. I would like to ask, _why_?" she questioned. While the fact that she was no longer the Heiress seemed to relieve a magnitude of stress from her shoulders, she still wanted to know why she was not informed. It was insulting and downright cruel to allow her to continue her dream, when in secret she had already been replaced and her dream, thrown to the side like trash. All that hard work over the four years at Beacon would have been for naught, and that thought infuriated her.

"I did the same with Winter the moment she decided to run off and join the Atlas Military. Once you started off down that path, I knew you would never be interested in fulfilling the role I had so generously laid out for you. So I passed on the role to someone who was willing to follow my teachings," Jacques explained cooly. Yang and Gohan shared a frown as their thoughts drifted to Whitley. Their first impressions of him weren't exactly impressive, and if Jacques was grooming him to be the face of the Schnee Dust Company, then things weren't looking very promising.

"So you decided to drop the title on Whitley? Figures, he's the only one that blindly followed everything you said. I can remember him reminding me every moment until I was on a plane heading to Beacon, that listening to you and respecting you was the best course of action. 'Father knows best after all'," Weiss snarked aggressively. "I should have known he would bark at your command if you dangled the title of heir over his head long enough."

"How dare you take such a disrespectful tone with me!" Jacques growled. "I raised you into who you are and you think you can just walk in here and bad mouth your brother!?" the Schnee patriarch finished, his tone dangerous and threatening. Weiss shook a little but steadied herself. Under her father's judgemental gaze, she found it slightly difficult to formulate her own words properly. Thankfully, the mere presence of Gohan and Yang calmed her down.

"Just because I wanted to follow the path of a Huntress, did not mean I was leaving my title of Heiress behind! I had every intention of returning here and fulfilling my role in this family!" she argued. Jacques sighed and rolled his eyes at his youngest daughters attempts at arguing. He was a businessman, he did this for a living. "Why not just tell me that heading to Beacon would result in my heiress title being stripped!? Why give me the illusion that I could have returned and fulfilled my role as the Schnee Heiress?"

"Winter promised the same thing," he shot back suddenly. Weiss stopped and looked at the man with surprised shock in her eyes. "When Winter left, she promised she would return and take over, but she found her calling. Ironwood gave her a position in the Military as his second-in-command. It was an offer she found trouble refusing," Jacques stated, hints of disappointment in his tone. It was clear to Weiss that he just automatically assumed she'd do the same, which in some regard, he was correct. Still, that didn't make her any less angry at the blatant disregard for her opinion.

"Why did you keep this from me?" Weiss questioned, a look of hurt crossing her face. Jacques had directly lied to her.

"The details weren't important, and you were too young to understand. Regardless, I have seen all of this before with Winter, so I made the call. The moment you left for Beacon, I had your title given to Whitley. Don't act like you came home to fill the role of Heiress. I know full well that you came back just to tell me that you had no interest in it. Don't take me for a fool child. I've already seen this once before. I was just prepared for it this time," he finished with a bored look on his face.

The mans' condescending tone had Weiss hanging her head. Yang looked ready to explode.

"Can I punch him now?" she whispered under clenched teeth. Gohan sighed.

"No Yang… you cannot punch Weiss's father," he responded rather blandly.

"Damn," she cursed slightly.

"Now, if you would be so kind… if we are done talking I would like you and your friends to leave. I have business to attend to and I don't need the likes of you distracting me," the white-haired man straightened his suit and sat down. "Take your friends with you. The fact that you even brought them in here shames the very name you hold. I am incredibly disappointed in you."

"Are you kidding me?" Weiss laughed, taking Jacques and her two companions by surprise. "I bring shame to my name? Who are you to judge the _Schnee_ name? You married into it you ungrateful swine! You treat us like trophies, and you drive my mother to drink! You even admitted that you married her just for the money and the name! You are the _**last**_ person that has any right to lecture me about my heritage. One that you know nothing about!" Weiss roared. Jacques shot up from his desk and maneuvered around the furniture, heading straight to Weiss. Yang moved forward to protect her but was stopped by Gohan. Before the blonde could question her boyfriend, the sound of a hand hitting flesh echoed through the room.

"How DARE you address your father like that!" he yelled, readying his hand for another slap. Weiss's head was turned to the side, the force from the slap having jerked her head to the left. However, what Jacques was not expecting was her reaction to it. She displayed no pain and no reaction to the physical assault. Weiss merely turned her head back, an unamused look plastered through her eyes. No longer was there that underlying fear present inside of her, but instead, replaced with utter loathing. Jacques could see the disrespect clear in her eyes.

"That _used_ to hurt me. I didn't even feel that. Come on, try again, but a bit harder," Weiss dared, a low edge to her voice. Yang stepped back, a nervous smile crossing her face.

"Uh oh…"

"Yeah," Gohan sighed. " _Uh Oh_ indeed."

Jacques reared his hand once again to go for another hit, but as he did, Weiss caught the hand with little difficulty. He tried to pull his hand away from Weiss but found her inhuman strength was too much. A pain surged through his hand as he fell to his knees. Weiss applied more pressure, a dark look crossing her features. The Schnee patriarch was groveling before Weiss as he held his wrist with a tight grip. She could feel the bones in his arm start to crack as the man's cries got louder. An unnatural smirk crossed her face as she examined her father's features.

"You ruined my childhood. You damaged my family name, and you have disgraced this company. This has been a long time coming, and I honestly can't say I'm happier to be the one telling you. You don't deserve to be a part of this family. You're a stain that can't be removed, and I'm sure if my grandfather were here, he would be disgusted with your actions. I'm sick of you acting like you own us," Weiss hissed, as she applied more pressure. Gohan's features narrowed.

"Weiss, that's enough," Gohan warned, his voice authoritative and cold. "We don't use our power against those who cannot defend themselves. He may have caused you pain, but this isn't the way. You're better than that," the half-Saiyan finished. Weiss took a moment to consider his words, and after a few moments, she hesitantly let go of her father's hand. The man scrambled back, clutching his injured hand with wide eyes. Weiss stared down at her pathetic father, while the man merely stared back, a hint of fear forming on his face.

"You're right," Weiss sighed. "He's not worth it."

Jacques slowly stood up, rage overwhelming his fear.

"GET OUT OF MY-"

He was cut off by a sudden bang. Weiss and Gohan turned to Yang with surprised expressions as the blonde blew away some smoke from Ember Celica. Jacques fell over, unconscious from the concussive blast. Yang merely shrugged at both of their expressions as if she didn't have a care in the world. Yang clearly didn't regret her actions, which only led to Gohan groaning while Weiss looked appalled.

"What? He's fine. I just used a concussive round. Just knocked him out is all," Yang reasoned. "Also, your dad's a dick."

"That's one way of saying it," Weiss chuckled slightly. Gohan just wanted to leave before they got into any more trouble. It was bad enough Weiss had injured him, but now Yang had actually shot him! There had to be some legal repercussions for that. However, that wasn't important right now. Weiss looked ready to leave, and they needed to be on their way to find the others before Cell and Salem made their moves.

"Lets… just go."

Weiss agreed without hesitation.

"Yeah, this place makes me sick."

=/=

* * *

=/=

They made it a few steps outside the Schnee property before Weiss stopped and took a shaky breath.

Gohan and Yang looked at her with concern in their eyes, but it soon vanished when she turned to them with a reassuring smile. Weiss definitely looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She seemed more bright and cheerful than she had ever been.

"That conversation didn't last as long as I would have thought," she stated honestly. Yang cracked a small smile while Gohan walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You handled that pretty well. I can't imagine how hard that was for you," he replied in a reassuring manner. She sighed in relief at the thought of being free from her father. Gohan retracted his hand and crossed his arms. As they stood outside the gate, Gohan noticed an older man approaching them, his eyes set solely on the three of them. A quick sense of his power showed he was no stronger than a regular civilian. Although, that wasn't always the best thing to base claims on, seeing as even Pyrrha or Blake were capable of hiding their true power. Still, with caution, Gohan watched the man approach.

"Yeah… can we just get out of here? Staying here is giving me bad vibes," Weiss asked. Yang nodded in agreement with her teammate, however, Gohan's attention was drawn elsewhere. Following his gaze, the two girls found an older, short man with bright orange hair. He was dressed in a coat to battle the cold weather. He raised his hand and greeted them, the three of them doing the same, Gohan being more than hesitant to do so. Something felt… off about this man.

"Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee I presume?" he asked. The two girls nodded as they turned to look at each other, confused expressions. It became clearly obvious neither of them knew this man, so why would he be approaching them right outside Weiss's family home?

"Uh, yeah. Who are you?" Yang asked. The man bowed apologetically.

"Apologies, my name is Doctor Polendina. I wish to talk to you about my daughter, Penny," he stated. Yang's eyes widened, along with Weiss and Gohan's. This was the last place on Remnant Gohan thought he'd run into the father of Penny Polendina. The man vaguely reminded him of Dr. Gero, but he seemed to have a much more positive vibe about him. Despite that, this man was responsible for creating Penny, the same artificial, synthetic android that Cell had absorbed. If Cell's words were right, this man had used the destroyed remains of Android Thirteen to achieve his goal.

That automatically put him in Gohan's bad books.

"I-I'm sorry Doctor… but Cell killed her," Yang responded somberly. The Doctor sighed.

"Yes… I am well aware of my daughter's fate," he spoke, his voice filled to the brim with sorrow. Gohan remained impassive as he inspected the man. The revelation at the Vytal Festival that Penny was really an Android was one that really shocked him to the core, even more so when he learned that Penny was made with the remains of Dr. Gero's technology! "I watched it all happen through her own eyes. Security measures I had built in so I could keep tabs on what she was doing. Imagine my horror when my daughter was absorbed by that monster."

"My condolences, Doctor," Weiss bowed slightly, out of respect for the man. Penny was a friend to them all. Strange in her own unique way, but she was very close to Ruby. "If you don't mind me asking. How exactly did you find us? We only arrived in Atlas a couple of hours ago," she asked. The Doctor gestured to a nearby squad of Atlesian Androids that roamed the streets.

"I helped create those machines. I have eyes and ears everywhere in Atlas. I know who comes in and who leaves. The moment you three flew into the Kingdom, I sought you out. You," he said, pointing to Yang. "You were there when my daughter was absorbed by that monster. I thought if I found you and told you what I know about these Androids, that you might find a way to destroy them all, for good."

Yang and Weiss were dumbfounded at this revelation. Gohan's eyes merely narrowed. The Doctor hadn't seen Gohan enter the battle when Penny was absorbed. He had only just arrived in time to see the change happen. However, the Doctor clearly knew who he was, having saved Penny and Pyrrha in the Vytal Festival ring when Cell appeared. The man must have gotten a good look at him then, seeing as he clearly recognized all three of them.

"How did you create Penny, Doctor? Cell told me you used the remains of an Android I fought with when I arrived here on Remnant. Is what he told me true? Were you really foolish enough to use technology you barely understood?!" Gohan growled, clearly irritated that the man was indirectly responsible for Cell's growth in power. If Penny had never been created, then Cell might never have reached his second form, and they wouldn't all be watching each others' backs every waking moment.

Both Weiss and Yang turned to Gohan with obvious scowls. They all thought of Penny as a friend, especially Ruby. As weird and socially awkward as she was, she was trying to learn how to be as friendly as she could to people. Yang knew of Gohan's troubled past with Androids, but Penny was not one of them!

"Gohan!" Yang scolded, however his scowl still remained. The Doctor raised a hand to the blonde, letting her know that his suspicion and harsh words were warranted. He had done many foolish things in his life, but creating Penny was not one of them.

"No... no, Ms. Xiao Long, he is right to ask such a question. Cell is incapable of absorbing machines. There has to be organic matter for him to absorb, and it is this very reason why he was able to absorb my daughter," the girls turned to the scientist with questionable looks on their faces.

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Are you saying that… Penny was human?" Yang asked. The Doctor clenched his hands, balling them into fists. His knuckles went white as he recalled the horrible memories of his past.

"She was," the Doctor replied. Gohan's look darkened.

"Explain."

Gohan's tone was short, crisp and blunt. He was no longer in the mood for games. If it involved Cell or any other Android, he needed to know the details. He needed to know everything there was to know. Otherwise, he would be at a disadvantage. The Doctor exhaled deeply before recounting his story.

"You are aware that Cell broke into Atlas and stole Dust before the Vytal festival?" he asked. The two that were informed by Ozpin nodded.

"We heard. What of it?" Yang asked. The Doctor sighed.

"He didn't break in _just_ to steal Dust. He broke in to confront _me_. Somehow, word had gotten to him that I had created an Android. From what he said, he was interested in me," the man spoke. Gohan's eyes widened. Cell had confronted this man and let him live? For what reason? "He let me live, on the condition that I create more Androids for him to absorb and grow stronger from. I was weak… and couldn't deny him."

"And have you?" Gohan asked. It was a serious question. Cell was a ruthless murdering monster that wanted as much power as possible.

"No, I haven't. Not yet anyway. These sorts of things take time, and Cell is _very_ patient,"

"But you told him about Penny," Gohan guessed. The Doctor nodded once again.

"I was forced to tell him about Penny. When she was extremely young, she was diagnosed with a strange sickness that attacked the heart," the man explained. Gohan's eyes widened in shock and horror. Was it possible this small girl had been suffering and battling against the same sickness his father had died to!? "It was an infection that was slowly killing her, and there was no known cure. I slaved away for months on end trying to find an answer to her sickness... but found none," The looks on the teenagers' faces were evident of sorrow. They couldn't imagine the kind of pain the man had gone through.

"A few months after the fall of Mountain Glenn, I was approached by a leader of an infamous bandit tribe, by the name of Raven Branwen," he elaborated. Yang's jaw tightened when she heard the name of her mother. Another question she would inevitably have to ask Raven about once she found her and beat her half to death. The more she heard about her birth mother, the more she wanted to fight her.

"She inquired about my skills and expertise in robotics and engineering. She then proceeded to give me technology far more complex than anything I had ever seen," the man explained. Slowly the pieces were starting to fall into place for Gohan as he compared events from Qrow's story to this scientist's. There were still missing pieces, but he was starting to make sense of it all.

"You got your hands on Dr. Gero's technology," Gohan summarized. "And you used it to save Penny's life… by turning her into a cyborg."

Gohan's last statement fell on deaf ears as the Doctor's expression changed into one of puzzlement when the name 'Dr. Gero' came out of Gohan's mouth.

"Dr. Gero…" the name rolled off the man's tongue rather sourly. "That monster Cell mentioned the same name. I've been seeing that name built into subroutines that these Androids have, almost like a signature of his work. I can't begin to fathom how such a man was able to develop such groundbreaking technology," he wondered. The man turned back to Gohan.

"Cell mentioned you. How you are from a different world. One far away from this one. Cell told me it is because of you that he is here," Doctor Polendina stated, giving Gohan a stern look. Yang shifted her body, angling herself slightly in front of her boyfriend. If this guy was going to try anything, then he would regret it.

"I can assure you that it was never my intention to bring any trouble to this world," Gohan stated defensively. The old man let his stern gaze drop to a more accepting one. "I have been trying my best to remedy my mistakes."

"Yes, I can tell. If you never brought Cell here, the technology I used to give my daughter life might have never come into my hands. For as short as her life was, at least it ended with her protecting something she cared about," he sighed depressively. He turned his gaze towards the sky, looking up as his eyes started to glimmer with tears.

There was a brief silence for a few moments while the man dried his eyes.

"The woman… she gave me this technology in the hopes that I could replicate it and reproduce it… and then Cell found me, and allowed me to live, hoping I would continue to create those machines. I will not be doing so anymore," he stated.

"What are you suggesting?" Weiss stepped forward, arms crossed over her chest and a stern gaze present on her features. The older man merely looked down at the ground, guilty and fearful. Clearly, this man was hiding something from them, and now they wanted to know what it was. He had gone to the trouble of intercepting them outside of Weiss's family home.

"I must confess… I have been helping the bandit leader modify and reprogram the Androids they salvaged from Mountain Glenn all those years ago," the doctor replied somberly. The utter look of horror that erupted on Gohan's features caught everyone by surprise. The sheer anger that replaced it moments later was enough to give even Yang chills. Years of hate and loathing for the Androids became apparent on the half-Saiyans features.

"You… fool!" the half-Saiyan spat venomously. "Do you have any idea what you have done!? They are killing machines designed to do one thing, and one thing only! Kill anything even _**remotely**_ human!" The man merely accepted the insult as both Yang and Weiss looked towards the man with disgust in their eyes. This man was helping a bandit leader create more monsters like the one that had killed Ruby and decimated Vale? Gohan's anger was suddenly far more justified than the girls had initially thought.

"Why would you help her!?" Gohan growled. Weiss wanted to add her two cents.

"I should have you locked up! How could you!" she practically exploded.

"I have done terrible things, and have set in motion a series of events that I'm sure will haunt me for as long as I live… but the least I can do is tell you where this woman is. At least that way, you can put an end to this," he muttered. Gohan straightened up, a look of serious determination on his face. Yang mirrored his expression at the mention of knowing where her biological mother was.

"Where is she?" the fiery blonde demanded. There was silence for a few moments before the man answered with a heavy sigh.

"Shion Village. Shortly after the fall of Vale, she and her tribe thought it would be best to hold up in a town they had recently raided. She is stationed there until further notice. She sent me a message a while ago inquiring about upgrades pertaining to an Android model labeled 'Sixteen'," he explained. Gohan growled, a particular Android wearing a green vest came to mind. Could this be the same Android he fought the night when they searched Vale for Cell?

"Shion Village? That's south of Anima. It's about a month or two away from Mistral on foot," Weiss stated. Yang gave Weiss a small, knowing glance. The ice princess suddenly found herself rather flustered. "I know my geography!" she shouted indignantly. Yang just chuckled lightly before returning her gaze to the old man. Her gaze darkened.

"How did she get her hands on that kind of technology?" Yang asked. The scientist shook his head in response.

"She never told me. I did ask, but she deemed me unworthy of knowing the truth. I'm afraid I do not know the answer," he finished. Gohan quelled his anger and reigned in his emotions. His frustration was building and everyone present knew it. His arrival here on Remnant had such a large impact on the world… he could never have imagined that this would happen when he was still working as a librarian at Beacon.

"I've heard enough," Gohan stated, turning around and starting to walk in the opposite direction. Yang and Weiss watched as he walked down the footpath, his head looking straight ahead towards the horizon. They could tell he was troubled, and that all he wanted to do was end this battle once and for all, but now it wouldn't be as simple as they originally thought it would be. It was never that easy.

"Well…" the fiery blonde turned back to the doctor. "Thanks for telling us at least. Do us, and yourself a favor and stop working with bandits. You almost landed yourself in hot water here," she advised. They were wise words, and Weiss was kind of surprised that such intelligent words came out of Yang's mouth. Normally the hot-headed blonde would smile and make some kind of pun right about now.

They had all changed… tragedy seemed to do that to most people.

"Go talk to General Ironwood. Tell him what you've told us, and he might give you a chance to redeem yourself… Doctor Polendina," Weiss suggested as she also turned and walked off to join her two friends. The doctor watched as the three walked away from him. He felt many things and relief was one of them. Finally, his mistakes would not plague him anymore.

And with that, he would take the Ice Princess's advice. It was time to talk to the man in charge.

As the Doctor walked away, Gohan watched him carefully. He had become adept at searching people's feelings to find out their true intentions. It was something he had picked up from his father before the man got sick. A certain amount of concentrated energy as well as reading body language and facial expressions. The man truly felt guilt for what he had done.

"Shion Village is it?" the young half-blood Saiyan asked. Weiss nodded.

"I know the way. If we fly we can make it in a few hours," she stated. Yang grinned as she cracked her knuckles. The anticipation that was brewing inside of her was starting to get the best of her. She had been itching to find her mother since her brief encounter with her back in the sewers of Vale.

"Let's go!" Yang took off into the sky. Weiss sighed as Gohan followed.

"No patience I see…" she muttered before she followed after them. She took off into the air, leaving various pedestrians bewildered as they watched the three superpowered teens fly away into the sky like angels. They hadn't seen anything like it before, and quite frankly, they weren't sure how to process what had just happened.

What a world they lived in.

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 **A/N:**

 **So this chapter has been a doozy to get out. It took a while mainly because I've been busy over Christmas and New Years. Very busy times and I thought that I should get out this chapter before the anniversary of this story rolled around. I should have a lot more free time until University starts up again, so it gives me more time to work on this and Pride of Four. Expect chapter three soon, maybe next week or something. No promises though. Depends on the availability of my editors. So feel free to join the Discord and yell at them if you get impatient.**

 **Overall, if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Thanks heaps, and I'll see you guys in the next update.**

 **Ciao.**


	17. The Raven and the Phoenix

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys, been awhile since I've touched this story hasn't it? I really have no excuse other than personal issues I have with the story itself. I will explain a bit more about the process of making this chapter which I think most of you might find interesting. It's more specifically this chapter than the story as a whole. I do want to say though that most, if not every story has** _ **that**_ **chapter in my opinion. The chapter that just doesn't feel right or doesn't fit. This chapter feels like that for me.**

 **In short, this is the lowpoint in the story for me.**

 **I keep promising myself that this story would have been done by now, but I've come to realize that setting these deadlines isn't doing me any favors. I guess this story will be done when it's done. I won't give up, not when I'm so far in. Like I've said many chapters before this one, I will be seeing this through to the very end. On a lighter note, this story marks 300k words. That's insane. I never thought I would get this far to be honest.**

 **Cheers guys and thanks for the support. Please enjoy.**

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 _Chapter Seventeen: The Raven and the Phoenix_

Tranquil snores graced Cinder's ears as she stared into the fire in front of her.

Temptation rose up in her chest to end that aggravating redhead's life without a shred of remorse, but whenever she came close to summoning her sword, she couldn't find it within herself to kill the girl. Maybe it was the certainty of the consequences that action would bring her, she wanted to avoid. Raven would definitely hunt her down and murder her, adding another person to the list who wanted her dead. A sigh escaped her lips as she pulled her attention away from Pyrrha's sleeping form. The tribal leader wanted the redhead for her power.

Nothing more.

" _This isn't how I thought my life would play out. Is this what it's like to feel insignificant and small?"_ Cinder wondered as she summoned small specks of fire, willing them to dance across her fingertips before sending them into the campfire, refueling it and sending a wave of warmth through their little campsite. It wasn't too far away from the village of Shion and tomorrow, she and Pyrrha would be heading to Mistral to find and capture Doctor Watts.

On the orders of Raven Branwen of course.

Her mind started to go off on a tangent, thinking about Raven and how powerful she was. However, before she had the chance to really develop her opinions on the older woman, an unknown energy entered the radius of the small camp they had made. Cinder made no move to visually project her new found knowledge. Her senses were immediately on alert as she followed the movements of this strange energy. There was a hint of familiarity to it, like she had sensed it before, but she hadn't learned how to sense energy until a week ago.

Her training with Pyrrha had lasted a total of two weeks, enough time for Cinder to get a proper grasp of her energy. Learning how to fly had been a challenge, but energy sensing had come to her rather naturally. Her power had tripled since she accessed her inner energy and her strength, agility, and endurance had shot through the roof. She wondered who this intruder was targeting, her or Pyrrha? Maybe both of them? Regardless, if this individual was here to harm them, it had made a big mistake. Its energy was pitifully weak. While she still had mountains to climb before she overcame Pyrrha's level of strength, comparing this pitiful newcomer's power to her own was laughable.

Standing up, Cinder turned and walked out of the camp, smirking as the energy seemed to follow her and ignore Pyrrha entirely. Good, she wanted to cut loose and beat something to a bloody smear for a change. Fighting Pyrrha constantly had been eroding her pride. Not once had Pyrrha admitted she had used her full power. She was always holding back, and that made Cinder angry beyond measure. Being constantly reminded that she wasn't ready to face the greek-themed warrior's true strength.

Once she had made some fair distance from Pyrrha, the energy lunged at her from behind, shrouded by darkness. Cinder rolled her eyes as she amplified her speed, appearing a few feet behind where she had been currently standing in an instant. Her attacker landed, swiping at an empty space, it's surprise sending chills of satisfaction down Cinder's spine. When she realized who it was, her smirk turned into a sickly evil grin. She could never forget that appearance, accompanied by that insane glare.

"Tyrion," she said, a mocking chuckle behind her tone. The madman turned, slightly confused as to how she had moved so fast without knowing that he was there. "I'm going to enjoy killing you. Try not to scream too much. You'll wake Sleeping Beauty up."

"Traitor!" Tyrion hissed, his eyes turning purple. "I promised myself I'd take care of you so my Goddess wouldn't have to dirty her hands killing you herself!"

Now that was an interesting development.

He was here for his own personal vendetta and not from a command from Salem? Cinder had to give Salem more credit than that. The Grimm Queen wasn't a fool and had eyes and ears everywhere. She would have known she had learned of the power that Gohan and Cell possessed, and sending off one of her peons to attack her would be beyond idiotic She might as well be a god to the rest of Remnant now, but Cinder knew there were still people she had to surpass before she could go about calling herself a deity.

"You're here on your own accord?" Cinder raised an eyebrow before a look of faux pity crossed her face. "What a shame… Salem's going to be so disappointed when I send you back inside a vase."

The man roared as he charged her head on, a tactic she knew he was quite fond of. Now, normally, Cinder found Tyrion to be a terrifying nutcase with an obsession with murder and revenge. It was one of the reasons why Salem found it so easy to manipulate him. An insane Huntsman like him was perfect in helping her usher the apocalypse on this world. However, right now, the man was nothing more than an insect begging to be crushed under her heel. Her newfound power made it look like he was walking through mud.

Cinder mockingly dodged every swipe and slash with ease. She blocked every shot from his weapons with nothing but her palm and as she let the pathetic fight drag on for her own amusement, Tyrion started to realize that he was beyond outclassed in every conceivable way. The feeling of being superior to Tyrion in every form made Cinder ecstatic. The more desperate he became, the greater the pleasure she created for herself. She hadn't once attacked, knowing she had complete control over this fight. Was this what Gohan felt during their brief bout in the CCT tower that night? Complete and utter control over the situation?

Cinder delighted in every moment of it, sending the lunatic scorpion faunus into a panicked state of mind

"Y-You're different!" Tyrion accused, fear dominating his features. Cinder burst into hysterical laughter, causing the madman to back away slightly. Her laugh came to a slow halt as she gazed up, her molten gold eyes meeting his poisonous purple orbs. You knew you were powerful when you scared an insane Huntsman, hellbent on bloodlust and murder.

"Of course. I have gained power beyond your comprehension. I don't share the sympathy of the person that taught me though, so I'm afraid you're luck ends now," Cinder stated, stepping forward. She flashed forward, breaking Tyrion's aura in one brutal kick. The man spewed blood as Cinder continued the inhumane assault. She appeared behind him, grasping the base of his tail and ripping it clean off his body. A blood-curdling scream was silenced as Cinder clamped the man's mouth shut.

"Ah! No screaming... " she whispered seductively into the agonized man's ear. Her hands started to heat up, her Maiden powers brought forth in full. She grasped his head with her hands and clamped down. An inferno spread throughout Tyrion's body, his eyes melting and his flesh falling off his bones. After a few seconds, his entire form turned to ash. Only bones were left, which Cinder quickly disposed of by shooting off a quick energy beam, disintegrating Tyrion's final remains.

"Short-lived amusement is rather depressing," Cinder ran a hand through her hair. A smirk graced her face as she imagined Salem's fury when she finds out about Tyrion's fate. Such an important pawn for her had met such a gruesome and laughable end. That gave her more satisfaction than turning the madman to ash. What she wouldn't give to kill Salem herself, but that was a fantasy for another time. The sun was coming up and Pyrrha would undoubtedly be waking up shortly. They had a Doctor to find, and Cinder was still contemplating whether or not to kill Watts as well.

As Cinder walked back into the camp, Pyrrha was awake and glaring at her, arms crossed.

"Where have you been?" she asked, a hint of annoyance in her tone. Cinder shrugged, looking rather bored.

"I went for a walk. Decided to kill some Grimm."

Pyrrha rolled her eyes as she packed up her things and put out the fire with a flick of a hand. Cinder noted the strange red cloak the girl seemed to have adorned since leaving the camp.

"What's with your ridiculous get up?"

"I'm a celebrity in Mistral. If I get recognized, it would only make our task infinitely more difficult. I picked this up from one of the shops in Shion Village before we left," Pyrrha retorted sharply. Cinder scowled as she the redhead hid her features by throwing up the red hood and wrapping the light fabric around her body.

"Did you have to pick red? You look absurd. You remind me of that silly little child."

Pyrrha's breath hitched, her body going rigid, something which Cinder completely missed having turned away.

"Her name was Ruby," Pyrrha all but spat under her breath, anger overwhelming her feelings. Pyrrha had picked out this cloak because it reminded her of her deceased friend. It gave her some kind of solace in the fact that a small part of the girl was still with her in some regard. It brought her some peace of mind, but Cinder had been quick to trample on that. Pyrrha was trying so hard to see Cinder in a different light, but her constant quips and heartless remarks made it a trial of her ire.

"What was that?" Cinder questioned, missing Pyrrha's retort. The emerald-eyed huntress brushed passed Cinder, making sure to bump her as she did. Cinder stumbled momentarily from the solid knock, her anger flaring. "The Hell is your problem!?"

Pyrrha didn't even pay her words any mind, taking off from the ground with an explosion that threw Cinder off her feet. The Red Queen angrily got to her feet, brushing off the dirt before cursing the redhead. After a few moments, she took off after the girl. Pyrrha made sure to stay ahead of Cinder, ensuring there was a distance between the two of them.

Any more tasteless remarks from the woman and Pyrrha wasn't sure what she was going to do.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Tying up the laces of her boots and throwing on her white jacket, Blake was getting ready to move out and continue her investigation. She had many questions that needed answering and the longer she stayed here, the more guilty she felt for not helping Gohan with Cell. However, she knew that the answers to her questions might actually provide her with an advantage over Cell. What that was yet, she didn't know, but she couldn't let this chance dwindle away.

She had spent weeks recovering back home and she had finally organized her chaotic mind. During this time, she had grown exceedingly stronger by constantly meditating and practicing her control over her energy. Her senses were sharper than ever, and her arm was close to being healed completely. She had matured a lot since her time in Beacon and her power only reflected that.

She was going to investigate the Legend of the Guardian of Remnant.

However, the only problem was she didn't know where, nor did she hold out hope that the Guardian was still alive. She had an inkling as to his fate. His stories had been told throughout the ages and had somehow ended up in this book. If powers like Ki existed, and tales of magic and maidens, surely immortality and longevity had to fit in somewhere. Her suspension of disbelief had become much broader since she first fought Cell. Ozpin informing them about the Maidens had only served to make it wider. She had once believed this world to be black and white.

Blake couldn't believe she had been so naive.

"Your mind's all made up?" Kali asked as she strolled into the room with a cup of tea and a tray. Blake was just finishing strapping Gambol Shroud to the back of her white-tailed jacket. She turned to Kali, her ears twitching at the sound of her mother's voice. Kali seemed somewhat disappointed. The tea she had made for Blake would go untouched, much to the older faunus's disappointment.

"I was never meant to stay here long. After the fall of Beacon, I felt like coming home to be with you and dad but it wasn't the only reason. There's something I wish to investigate and the fact that the Grimm seem to be coming from the desert every week is only piquing my interest," Blake replied. "Whatever I'm going to find out there is going to help in the fight against Cell. I can feel it. I can't just give up and go back now. It doesn't feel right. I need to see this through to the end. I have no idea what secrets I could uncover."

"I understand, Blake."

Kali set the tray down on the nightstand and sat down on Blake's bed. The mother watched quietly as her only daughter got ready to set out on yet another pursuit of her own desires. She was always following her dreams and curiosity. She followed whatever she thought was right. That was just how Blake had grown up.

"I know what you're going to say, mom," Blake stopped and turned to her mother. "You're going to tell me that I should stay here with you. That I should help rebuild Menagerie. That I should-"

"Stop."

Her voice was tired and abrupt. Blake's voice died in her throat as Kali stood up and walked over towards Blake and placed both hands on her shoulders. The mother looked the daughter directly in the eyes, thousands of emotions were exchanged between the two before the older one broke out into a weak laughter.

"Blake… you are the only blood I have left in this world. The last thing I want is for you to disappear on me, but I would never hold you back from doing what you desire. You are your own person and if you wish to do something, there is nothing I can say that will prevent you from doing so," Kali said as she ran a thumb across Blake's cheek. The younger cat-faunus's eyes softened as she lifted a hand, lightly grasping her mothers. Kali slowly retracted her hand and smiled reassuringly.

"You will always have a home here and I won't ever reject you, Blake. I love you and I don't want you to ever forget that. No matter what path you follow, you will always be my daughter." Kali teared up a bit. Blake mirrored her emotions. The younger cat faunus smiling as tears of happiness dropped down her cheeks.

"Thank you, mom," Blake embraced Kali, holding onto her tightly. The mother returned the gesture. Sun stood in the doorway, thanking the gods he wasn't dumb enough to barge in and ruin the moment like he almost had. Seriously, he was milliseconds away from saying something dumb. Thankfully, he was learning. The last thing he wanted to do was piss Blake off when she had the power to squash him like an insect.

"Stay safe… and," Kali leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Be sure to give me some strong, healthy grandkids someday," she finished in a playful voice. Blake broke away with a fierce blush as she realized that Sun was standing in the doorway and that Kali was referring to him specifically. Blake's gaze shot between the two. Sun looked completely confused while Kali was just giggling.

"Mom!" Blake whined with an embarrassed smile. Kali smiled as she gestured to the boy.

"Off you go you two. Send me some messages every now and then, okay?" she stated as Blake turned around to leave. Sun grinned and held a thumbs up to the matriarch of the Belladonna family.

"Sure thing Mrs. B!"

Blake, having had enough of the situation, decided it would be best to pull Sun away by his collar, practically dragging him out of the house much to his obvious, and clear protests. He eventually resigned to his fate seeing as Blake was too stubborn to be reasoned with and she was a thousand times stronger than him.

It wasn't long before the duo had made it out of the village in Menagerie and into the uninhabited lands of the small continent. It took them just under three hours to reach the deserts and safely examine their surroundings. This was the area the Grimm kept coming from, so Blake had a feeling that the Grimm attacks and what she was investigating were linked. It was a hunch, and normally, she was right about hunches.

"You'd think with all the problems with Grimm coming from this direction, that there would be… I don't know. Some Grimm?" Sun said as they walked across the boring and plain sands that Menagerie had. Blake had been told in her youth that this area was one of the most dangerous places on the planet. No wonder Kali had been so concerned for her safety.

However, Blake had to agree with him. She thought there would be more resistance than what they were currently experiencing. It was like a wasteland. Absolutely nothing in sight. It slightly bothered her that it was so quiet. Especially in a place like this.

"Yeah. I get what you mean. It's far too quiet," she stated. They continued at a steady pace, Sun showing his obvious boredom, but still on alert in case anything jumped out at them. Blake found it especially hard to walk on sand considering she was wearing heels. At this point, she was considering just floating above the ground.

Climbing a large sand dune, the two made it to the top and surveyed the area. Looking around they could see absolutely nothing for miles. Just sand, and more sand. It was almost as if the land was taunting her, telling her that she would never find what she was looking for. Just a large open space of nothingness. Uncharted land that had been deemed too dangerous to explore, even by the most professionals. It was at this point, Blake picked Sun up and resumed their search from the sky. If there wasn't anything in this desert, they would find out within the next few minutes.

"There!" Sun exclaimed, pointing down to the earth. Blake turned her gaze to where he was pointing to see a large temple, partly sunken into the sand. Time had not been kind to this place and it clearly showed. The temple sat within a giant sinkhole, massive sand dunes all around it. No wonder it wasn't visible just by walking across the desert, it was hidden behind mountains of sand. If Blake hadn't been flying it would have taken them hours to climb the soft sand. Now the riddles made sense.

Landing in front of the large closed off entrance to the temple, they were greeted by countless skeletons, seeming to date back centuries from what they were wearing. Blake couldn't help but frown when she looked around. There was a dark feeling to this place. It almost felt cold despite the ruthless heat bearing down on them. All it would take would be a few airships and a small force of trained, professional huntsmen to find this place. However, just like always, no one cared to come to Menagerie, or investigate a highly hazardous desert. Those that did either didn't find this place, returned empty-handed, or met their untimely fate like these people had.

"Talk about an open graveyard," Sun grimaced as he stepped on a bone, turning it to dust. "This place is creepy. I think we should go back."

"No," Blake retorted quickly. "We're here now. Might as well see this through. I can blast through the door no problem. Give me a moment, it shouldn't take too-" Blake was cut off as the sands a few meters back started to shift. A large black figure started to rise out of the sand, a worm-like body standing on end. The end of it towered above them, opening up to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. It had no eyes and seemed about the length of about four or five bullheads. No doubt this would classify as one of the higher tier Grimm. It looked ancient as well.

"I've uh… never seen a Grimm like that before," Sun swallowed. Blake just frowned, feeling no fear whatsoever. She simply raised a hand and fired off an energy blast. It ripped through the Grimm like it was made of paper. Her power far exceeded that of any kind of Grimm and it made her huntress training look like a joke. Sun stared, wide-eyed between the smokey remains of what seemed like a powerful, ancient Grimm and Blake. She paid no attention to his gawking and merely turned, firing off another blast that disintegrated the large closed off entrance to the temple.

"That… was awesome, but terrifying at the same time."

"Come on, we're wasting time," Blake retorted, walking into the darkness of the temple. Sun sighed.

"She just blows up a giant Grimm and doesn't even bat an eyelash over it. Sheesh, I definitely know how to pick 'em."

The light from the entrance dimmed the further the two walked. This place was obviously as far as anyone got, seeing as the skeletons were completely absent. This place was just empty hallways and strange rooms that seemingly served no purpose. The air was stale and cold, sending a chill down the two teen's spines. They were making Remnant history here, learning about things that possibly had never been uncovered before. However, there was only one reason why Blake was here.

They descended down a staircase that seemed to lead deep underground. The light from the entrance finally fading into obscurity.

"Damn… I can't see a thing. Got any light?" he asked. Blake nodded and lit up a ball of energy. Both of them watched as the ball of bright white energy hovered in her hands before levitating above her head and acted as a candlelight for them. What was illuminated before them was simply breathtaking! It was like something you'd see in a history book. Blake couldn't help but smirk at what Doctor Oobleck would say if he were here. The man was a nutcase about history and how humanity needed to learn from its mistakes in order to progress forward. This place was rich with information about ancient civilization. It was depicted over all the walls and columns.

"This place is amazing…" Blake stated as she started to walk forward, taking the light with her. Sun didn't even bother protesting now. They were this far in, and thoroughly committed to this adventure. Might as well see it through until its end. He had stuck with her this long, he wasn't about to abandon her now.

"Tell me about it. I'm getting a vibe that this place is thousands of years old. I wonder if there are any Grimm down here," he wondered out loud. Blake merely shrugged.

"Probably just insects and bugs. I doubt any Grimm are actually down here," she replied coolly. They continued forward, admiring the scenery. The place oozed ancient architecture and mystery and it was something that both Sun and Blake were experiencing in full here. They walked through multiple large rooms, filled with wall carvings and stunning art.

Time seemed to run on by as they explored more of the ancient ruins hidden below the unforgiving desert of Menagerie. Blake and Sun got closer as the rooms grew darker, but then they happened upon a strange room, that on entry, lit up. Multiple torches suddenly ignited, casting a majestic, calming orange glow all around them.

Naturally, the room was a dead end, but that wasn't what Blake and Sun were focused on.

In front of them was a large, geothermal steaming pool that seemed to be in pristine condition. The room and the air felt fresh, and the moisture on the walls and the ground were clear from the steam. It was almost like magic, as if the room were inviting them to indulge themselves in what was presented before them.

"Woah!" Sun jogged forward to the edge of the pool. It was completely clear. Nothing strange or unusual was swimming in it. No Grimm or anything. There were even steps leading down into the center. A quick dip of his hand told him it was the perfect temperature for swimming. It was almost like that was its intended use.

"Sun!" Blake hissed. He turned to her with a sheepish grin on his face. "What are you doing?!" she asked, a chastising scowl present on her face. He grinned.

"Just checkin' the water… It's actually kind of nice!" he chuckled. Blake's scowl remained. "You know… I could kinda go for a swim right now. Been quite stressed lately, ya know?" Sun stated as he started removing his shirt and pants. Blake opened her mouth to respond but found that the words refused to come out of her mouth. Sheer shock, disbelief and a little bit of _something else_ made itself known on her face.

Already down to his undergarments, he slipped into the water and relaxed. Blake couldn't believe this was happening as she just stood a few meters away from the edge of the steaming pool with clear shock on her face. Sun exhaled as he relaxed into the water. The cat-girl had to blink away her disbelief, the sheer ridiculousness of the situation settling in. Apparently, this wasn't a dream or a daydream fantasy from one of her R-rated novels. This was reality, and Sun was actually doing this. A scowl crossed her face as she glared down at the boy who only beamed back at her.

"Aw man! This is awesome! Come on Blake, this is amazing!"

"Get out now! We have work to do! Are you insane!?"

"Oh come on… live a little!"

"Sun you idiot! We don't have time to mess around!" she snapped violently. Sun snorted, rolling his eyes in the process. His beaming smile disappeared, a more serious demeanor taking its place which momentarily stunned Blake. She wasn't used to seeing such a serious expression on his goofy face.

"Says who? We aren't in a hurry or anything," he shot back. Blake once again found herself beat in words alone. Sun stared at her with a grin on his face. Why did it seem like he was trying to get her to undress? God… he was such a boy but she couldn't blame him. He had been very stressed lately. Defending the town and taking care of her would have done a number on him.

She found herself momentarily considering the idea of joining him. It wasn't like she _didn't_ like him. It was quite the opposite in fact. She was well aware that she had developing feelings for this boy. He was always around and helped her when she needed it. Whenever he was there, he was always offering to spend time with her and help her out. Whether she liked it or not, the last couple of months she had been spent a lot of time around Sun.

She had grown quite fond of him.

" _Oh God… what do I do?"_ she asked herself. Looking around as if to make sure that they were the only ones in here, she suddenly realized that her legs were slightly trembling from the thought of practically skinny dipping with Sun. It was so… _scandalous_. The very thought of it sent her heart into overdrive. She felt her face flush as Sun's eyes remained trained on her.

"Well?" he goaded with a friendly, cheeky smile. "Are you going to join me?" he asked. Blake sighed in frustration as she tilted her head back and groaned. She couldn't believe she was going to do this…

"Turn. Around," she stated, teeth clenched. Sun obeyed immediately. Turning in his spot in the water, he faced the other way. Blake swore silently to herself as she started undressing. If she was going to go swimming with no spare clothes, she was going to be making sure she wasn't going to be walking around with wet underwear.

"I'm taking everything off," Blake warned him. She saw his body tense slightly. "If I catch you looking. I swear to whatever god there is… you will not live to tell the tale," she swore. Sun swallowed audibly from where he was standing in the water. He respected Blake's modesty. Just because he was comfortable with his body didn't mean she was with hers.

Once everything was off she made sure her clothes were in a nice neat pile before entering the water. The moment her toes touched the steaming, hot water, her senses were overcome with pleasure. She practically purred, sinking into the water. She looked up, still noting that Sun was tense and looking the other way.

"Oh my god, stop shaking. You're making me nervous," she spoke up. He sighed, attempting to relax his body as he started to turn back around to face her, but Blake's sharp tone stopped him dead in motion.

"I didn't mean turn around you idiot! Jeez…" she trailed off. The girl floated over towards him and turned around. The two were mere meters away from each other and faced away. Slowly she eased her senses and let her mind drift off as the hot steam relaxed her muscles, body, and mind. After a few moments, the two floated backwards and bumped into each other.

"SUN!" she growled menacingly. The boy sighed in annoyance, throwing up his hands in protest.

"I'm sorry! Look I'm trying to relax here too… and well, you being, uh… _naked_ … isn't really helping me relax," he stated honestly. Blake groaned, turning away from him, her face going bright red. Her nerves were acting up at a moments notice. She had never been in a situation like this and a part of her didn't want it to end anytime soon. Although, she wanted to go at this at her own pace. She overreacted, so what. It happens.

"You wanted me to join you. I'm not swimming in my underwear. I don't have anything spare, so I'm not going to walk around in wet clothes for the next few hours," she replied curtly. Sun merely groaned. She felt ripples in the water as he moved away to the side. She turned her head and watched him cautiously as he moved over to the end of the pool. He let himself sink down until his neck was submerged.

"Blake… if you're worried about me _perving_ on your body, you don't need to worry. That's not why I suggested this," he stated. Blake had her back turned to him, but she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She was curious. What was he trying to do then?

"Oh? Enlighten me on what you were trying to do then," she questioned. Sun merely sighed.

"You've been so focused on this legend stuff lately. I just wanted to help take your mind off these things you know?" He stated, his maturity showing with his reasoning. Blake was pleasantly surprised and found herself relaxing as he continued. "You have this amazing power and I know it has something to do with stopping Cell. You tend to overthink things, no offense. The whole White Fang thing that happened when I first came to Vale and then the whole Roman Torchwick thing… you were obsessed. Then Cell appeared and things just got worse! I just want to help Blake… to take your mind off these things even if it's only for a couple of minutes. Otherwise, You'll wear yourself out."

Blake couldn't find the words to counter his argument. She definitely had a tendency to overthink things and obsess over details. She had done it for the White Fang and now she was starting to do it again with finding ways to kill Cell.

Her heartbeat sped up to critical levels as she found herself turning around and floating over to meet him. She momentarily forgot about her modesty and made her way over towards where Sun was sitting. His downcast look made her feel extremely guilty. She merely exhaled slowly.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do for me Sun. You saved my life more than once, and you've always been there to back me up when I needed it. I should really apologize. I haven't been fair to you," she stated honestly. Sun looked up, directly into her amber eyes.

"Blake, you don't need to apologize for anything… I'm your friend! I would do anything for you!" he stated. Blake looked at him seriously, and before she even knew it, the words came pouring out of her mouth. She had no chance to take them back.

"Is a friend the only thing you see in me?" she asked. The question stunned him briefly. Blake knew the moment he hesitated on the question that he saw her as more than just a friend. There was that look in his eyes. He _longed_ for her. She could see that as clear as day now.

"No… I see you as much more than that honestly, but I could never read your feelings properly. I never know what you think of me sometimes," he stated honestly. Blake was suddenly breathless. She had never seen this outgoing, cheerful, carefree boy look so calculative and honest before. In a sheer moment of intimacy, she was learning more about Sun than anyone possibly ever knew.

"Sun," she leaned in closer and cupped his face.

" _Thank you._ " she thought softly as she leaned in and planted a small kiss on his cheek.

He deserved it after all.

=/=

* * *

=/=

"There it is!" Yang's voice rang out, cutting through the silence. The three tore through the skies at impossible speeds closing in on the camp in seconds.

Shion village was coming up in their sights, and it was becoming clearer as they got closer that the village itself had come under new leadership. The place had armed guards patrolling the streets, watching and protecting the civilians. They weren't ordinary guards either, they seemed to be random people that had gotten their hands on weapons. They were bandits, and it was clear to anyone that outsiders were not welcome.

"I can sense Jaune and the others down there! Are they being held captive?" Weiss called out. Gohan's eyebrows furrowed. He couldn't sense Pyrrha down there and she had informed him that she was going off with her team to Mistral. If she wasn't down there, then something had happened to her. That didn't make him feel any better about the situation. He could sense a high power down there, and it definitely wasn't Pyrrha's.

"Pyrrha isn't with them," he commented, drawing looks of concern. "But I sense another large power down there. We need to be careful. Stick together," Gohan finished as he angled himself downwards and flew towards the town. Weiss and Yang followed suit. They tore through the clouds and shot down towards the ground at blinding speed. No one on the ground had any opportunity to react.

They landed right in the middle of town, drawing the attention of just about every bandit in the area. They were quick to respond, running towards them and trapping them in a circle, surrounding the three. They all had their weapons trained on them. It wasn't a pretty situation for them. Yang's blood started to boil. She didn't want to waste time on these punks.

"You'd be smart to drop your weapons. I have no intention of harming any of you," Gohan warned, animosity coating his tone. "I can't say the same for the girls standing next to me, so I'd take this one opportunity to back away and leave us alone," the half-Saiyan finished. One of the bandits scoffed, clearly not intimidated by Gohan's warning. Stepping forward, the man smirked as he raised his gun, threateningly jabbing it in their direction.

"We're not scared of you! Our leader has a power that rivals the Gods! If we go down, she'll make quick work of you!" he retorted arrogantly. Yang growled, stepping forward and cracked her knuckles. Fury blazed through her eyes as she glared directly at the man who had just spoken.

"You guys wanna dance? I'd be more than happy to show you how we do it," she hissed, a golden aura exploding around her. As the bright pristine light surrounded her, she made sure to increase her power as much as possible to bring her mother out of hiding. If it was Raven's power she was sensing, then something told Yang that the older Branwen would definitely take notice of her daughter's boundless strength.

Most of the bandits were blown away, while others took cover out of fear. The commotion Yang was causing was not ideal, and Weiss saw this. The Ice princess placed a hand on her teammate's shoulder.

"Yang? Allow me. You're causing a scene," Weiss chided. Yang let her power drop as she gazed towards Weiss with a curious look on her face.

"Sure, go for it," Yang gestured to the remaining bandits that still had them surrounded. Gohan looked bored and frustrated. They were wasting time here. The source of the huge power he was sensing had vanished, and no doubt they were now aware of their presence here. Whoever it was had decided it would be important to lower their power.

"Be quick about it, and don't kill anyone," the half-Saiyan commanded. Weiss rolled her eyes.

"What do you take me for? A murderer?" her eyes lit up. An icy blue fire flowed from her left eye. With a flick of her finger, glyphs appeared all around her. They sped across the ground until they were under each bandit. Before they even knew what was happening, the glyphs exploded with light. They screamed as they were trapped in a block of ice, with only their heads left uncovered so they could breathe. All their weapons dropped to the ground as their bodies remained trapped in an icy prison. Many worried screams echoed throughout the village as the bandits cowered from Weiss.

"Wow," Yang commented with a smirk. "You really are an Ice-"

"Don't even finish that sentence, Xiao Long," Weiss snapped. The blonde just grumbled in response.

"Fine… spoilsport."

"Focus you two."

The crisp words of the half-Saiyan brought the two back to reality. They directed their gazes ahead where the Bandit leader and her assistant had made themselves known. The woman was dressed just the way Yang had remembered. Black and red armor, and with a blood red sword at her side to complete the image. The large green figure next to her was also familiar. She had seen it in the hospital that night, and in the sewers shortly after.

"How _dare_ you show your faces here," the woman growled. She looked livid. Her people had been defeated, and by a child no less. They were weak compared to them. They had ascended past what was normal for the people of Remnant and had become like gods… but even a god met their match sooner or later. "Come into my camp and hurt _my_ people? You will pay dearly for this attack!" the woman hissed. Yang stepped forward, her eyes shifting to a crimson red.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it _bitch_?" the blonde taunted. Raven's entire body shuddered with repressed rage and Yang delighted in it. The mother and daughter glared at each other, years of neglect and abandonment issues finally bubbling to its climax. A subtle fire started to trace around the brawler's skin, her power steadily rising. Gohan ripped his gaze away from Android 16 and turned to his blonde girlfriend.

"Careful Yang," Gohan stated softly. "Don't let your anger overrule your control."

"I know," The blonde retorted with a reassuring smile. "I've got this completely under control Gohan, no need to worry about me."

Raven stepped forward, unsheathing her sword, her grip as tight as ever.

"You've made a mistake crossing me, _Yang_."

"Sounding a little arrogant there, _Mom_ ," Yang growled as she powered up, her golden aura returning. Weiss's eyes widened at that statement. She looked between the two as if trying to compare them against one another, seeing which pieces were similar. She was rather shocked by the results.

"Mom?" Weiss uttered under her breath. Gohan merely nodded, confirming her suspicions.

Raven countered with her own blood red aura exploding around her. The older woman's grip around her sword tightened. Yang's muscles tensed as she cocked Ember Celica. Her golden gauntlets unfolded and loaded the ammunition into it. If she was going to fight, she _was_ going to _win_.

"If you have come here to fight, then I will _gladly_ put you in your place."

"Let's see you try!"

In an instant, mother and daughter shot forward and met each other head to head. Two powers collided and years of resentment clashed with years of regret. Blood red eyes stared into crimson. Raven's sword grinded angrily against Ember Celica. Sparks flew as the powerful energies fought to overpower one another. Raven quickly broke the stalemate, slashing at speeds invisible to the untrained eye. Yang easily weaved in and out of the woman's attacks, retreating to different parts of the village turned battlefield. Houses were sliced to pieces whenever Yang dodged and the earth beneath them disintegrated whenever Raven avoided bone-crushing punches.

The mother went in for another strike, only to have Yang catch the sword with her own two hands. Shock erupted across Raven's features as Yang laughed.

"What's wrong _mom_? Getting cold feet!?" Yang pushed forward, breaking the sword lock and shattering Raven's guard. The blonde delivered a gut-wrenching punch to her midsection, sending Raven spiraling backwards. However, the jet-black haired tribe leader was just warming up. She landed on her feet perfectly, flicking her sword to the side.

"Don't be so arrogant!" Raven disappeared in an instant. Yang's eyes darted around the battlefield, desperately looking for her opponent. She immediately dived out of the way as the assaulting energy crashed down above her. The armored woman was in the sky, firing off blasts towards the ground. Yang darted in and out of the explosions, deflecting some of the blasts back at the woman.

"Foolish girl!" Raven appeared on Yang's blind side, slashing at her vulnerable area. Her aura took a large hit as the fiery blonde was sent tumbling, crashing through walls in the middle of the town. Civilians were screaming and running about, trying to find safety. No doubt all this fighting would draw a horde of Grimm. Yang emerged from the rubble, relatively unhurt and without a scratch. She cracked her neck before taking off into the sky.

"Yang!" Gohan called out. "Take her away from the town!" he yelled. He knew she had heard him when a golden light flashed and shot into the distance, the crimson one following shortly after. He watched as the two disappeared into the sky, flying away from the small town. Gohan turned to Weiss, who had been watching the fight with intrigue and shock on her features.

"Weiss!" he called, startling her out of her stump. "Find the others, and help defend the town against the Grimm. With all this fighting, the negative energy is bound to attract hordes of Grimm. I'll deal with the Android," he finished. Weiss didn't have room to argue. She didn't exactly have a reason to either. She turned around and ran off, following the energies of Jaune, Ren, and Nora.

Turning back to the Android, the son of Goku scowled as he powered up to Super Saiyan, his surroundings burning due to the intense heat and power. His eyes held no kindness, and no mercy for his opponent. The fire that burnt behind them was stronger than ever.

"Don't expect me to let you escape this time."

"No."

Gohan was momentarily confused. What did it mean… no?

"What?"

"There is no reason for us to fight at this moment," the Android started. "If we fight, we will only cause more negativity for the town to feel. That attracts the Grimm. I am not willing to get innocents hurt. Raven and her daughter fighting is bad enough," Android Sixteen finished. The Saiyan hybrid wasn't convinced. It was going to take more than that to convince Gohan that this Android didn't want to fight and kill. He had spent years trying to figure out ways to destroy Gero's creations. There wasn't a shred of mercy in these machines.

"Don't expect me to believe you. You're an Android created by Dr. Gero. You are _programmed_ to kill and destroy! Are you trying to trick me? Because sorry to say it is not working," Gohan scowled as he remained in his fighting stance. Android Sixteen merely stood there, gazing in the direction that Yang and Raven had disappeared to.

"Believing me has no relevance in the issue. You misunderstand. I was instructed not to fight you. Doing so will mean my end. My scanners sense that your power far exceeds mine. It would be foolish to engage in combat with you," Sixteen stated. The half-Saiyan's eyebrows furrowed at this. He wasn't able to sense the machine's power, so he couldn't make the same comparison. However, it would be a cold day in hell when he believed the words of an Android.

"Have it your way then… but don't think I'm going to turn around and walk away. I'm going to make sure you don't hurt anyone here," he replied, a chilling edge to his voice. His eyes remained trained on the Android, as if trying to piece together an impossible puzzle. The green vested machine seemed to just… stare into space, watching the fight from a distance.

A shockwave ripped through the sky, shaking the very foundations of the land around them. Gohan removed his piercing gaze from the Android and turned it towards the fight that was happening between the mother and her daughter. Yang had mentioned that her birth mother had abandoned her for reasons she had yet to understand. It looked like she was going to get those reasons soon enough.

In the distance, Raven and Yang broke off an engagement, allowing the two of them to have a small breather. Love and hatred swirled like a deadly maelstrom in their eyes. There would be no rest for these two until one of them gave in, and neither were the type to give up. As stubborn as they were, they'd rather die than admit defeat. It was clear that Yang had the upper hand, since Raven's labored breaths were an indicator that her blonde daughter was doing more damage than she was.

"I _swore_ I'd find you and beat the answers outta you. That's exactly what I'm going to do!" the fiery blonde promised. There was an undeniable amount of pain and conflict pooling in Raven's being. She considered herself one of the strongest women on the planet. She knew she had enough power to kill Salem and any other threat that approached her tribe, but that _witch_ had more than just strength on her side.

" _I'm being pushed…_ " the charcoal haired woman thought. Her breathing started to feel like she was trying to inhale air through a straw. Her body was struggling to keep up. She had spent years honing her skills and making sure she was as dangerous and deadly as she could be… so why was it _now_ … of all times, she was losing her edge? Against her daughter no less!? Yang seemed to heal any kind of damage that was done to her with a slight flex of her energy. It frustrated the female Branwen to no end!

Yang was in front of her in an instant. She was forced to block with her sword, entering in another unfavorable sword lock with her offspring. Sparks danced angrily off the offending metals as they struggled to gain an upper hand over one another. Yellow clashing violently with crimson. Yang reared her head back before Raven had a chance to figure out what was going on.

"I _**want**_ **,** " the blonde slammed her forehead against her mother's. Raven let out an agonized scream of pain as both of the fighter's auras shattered in unison. However, Yang was far from finished. With blood streaming down her forehead, she tackled Raven and sped into a nearby mountain. The two crashed through, sending debris flying for miles. The impact shook the land around them as the two women appeared out the other end and crashed into the ground at blinding speed.

"My _answers!_ " Yang hissed as she pushed herself off the ground. The trees around them lay unscathed from the destruction.

Raven picked herself up, but only just in time to see Yang's boot flying directly towards her face. A bone cracking sound echoed throughout the forest, prompting nearby birds to flee in terror. Raven was sent tumbling towards a nearby tree. With the right momentum, she twirled and flicked her sword, sending it flying. The blonde had been charging an energy blast with her hand when she saw the attack coming.

The crimson blade sliced through Yang's shoulder, sending the girl to the ground in agonizing pain. She screamed as blood poured from the wound. Raven hit the tree with a sickening crack and fell to the ground. The energy in Yang's hand shot high into the sky, disappearing from sight.

Raven coughed, sending blood splattering all over the ground in front of her. She grit her teeth as she pushed herself to her feet once more, blood pouring from her nose. It was dislocated, but she quickly set it back with a quick hand movement. She cracked her neck and tried to shake the pain away, but it was almost too much to bear. She limped over and retrieved her sword.

"I should kill you for what you've done," Raven growled as she retrieved her sword. Yang rolled over on the ground, clutching the bleeding wound. It had cut deep into her muscle and grazed her collarbone. The pain was excruciating. All she wanted to do was scream and cry to make the pain go away, but she had learned a long time ago that it was wishful thinking.

"You come and hurt my tribe, the people who raised me! The people who I _lead_ …" Raven walked over to Yang and looked down at her. The blonde had that same smile as when she was born. Blood in her teeth, but laughing… like she had already won. It brought a foreign warmth to Raven's heart but at the same time, it brought clouds of black anger. Her daughter was hiding something. She had seen Yang fight before, and Raven couldn't fathom why Yang seemed to be holding back her power despite being beaten.

"Even now… you laugh as if you have won. You are strong Yang, I will admit that. I was wrong to judge your _weak_ and _pathetic_ existence," Raven glared down at Yang. She couldn't finish off her own blood. As cold-hearted as she was, she would not cross that line. She would not kill the girl she had carried around inside of her for nine months. There was a love there that even she had to admit was too strong.

"What goes up… must… _come down_ ," Yang laughed weakly. Raven's eyes narrowed slightly.

"What nonsense are you babbling on about n-" her words were cut off when the area was flooded with a golden light. Raven's vision snapped to the sky. The golden energy that Yang had shot off moments before she had managed to wound her was now plummeting back down towards them. Raven attempted to move but found that her movement was impaired. She looked down to see Yang holding on tightly. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Scared?" Yang spat with a grin. Raven barely had enough time to respond.

" **You fool-!** " the attack landed. The area around them disintegrated as the light engulfed the environment. Neither of them had enough time to scream as the burning energy swallowed them both. Trees were erased and the ground crumbled under the attack. What was left when the dust cleared was a smoking crater with two distinguishable figures lying in them.

Raven's armor had been destroyed, leaving her scraped and smoking. Her top had been burned away, along with most of her clothes. She was exposed to the world, with just some shreds and undergarments to cover her. Yang was floating in that same boat. Both were breathing heavily, as if the world itself were sitting right on top of their chests.

"You don't… look… so good… mom," Yang wheezed. She tried her hardest to laugh at the pitiful state she had placed her mother in. A huntress beyond her years and Yang had found the strength within her to bring her down. Barely a qualified huntress and she had managed to bring the infamous Raven Branwen to her knees. There had to be some pride in that right? The woman next to the blonde shifted in pain, groaning as the ground beneath her continued to smoke.

Her sword and armor had been destroyed. Raven had been beaten.

"Shut your… mouth," Raven hissed back as she tried to move. Her body failed her, despite her attempts to move. Her muscles burned and screamed at her for rest. She didn't want to cooperate with them, and thus, they refused to work for her. She eventually just gave up and lay there, accepting her defeat. She _couldn't_ even _fathom_ the fact that Yang Xiao Long had been the one to take her down.

Not her brother or Taiyang.

Not Summer.

Not Salem.

Not even that old fool Ozpin.

No… it had been her own flesh and blood… Yang Xiao Long.

"Is defeating me… not enough for you? Do you have to… _gloat_?" Raven snarled as she managed to roll over to face Yang. The blonde in question looked just as worse as she did. Yang coughed violently as she growled. With an iron will, she managed to sit up. Her golden blonde tresses fell down her back, stained with dirt, and other grime. A flare of her power had her hair turning to an orange flame. Raven watched in awe as the deep gash in Yang's shoulder switched itself back together in seconds. All the damage the blonde had received had vanished without a trace. However, Yang's energy had dropped as a result.

Her hunch was correct! Yang had been holding back!

"What… what was that?" Raven questioned, utterly stunned at the reveal of Yang's hidden power. The brawler scoffed, glaring at Raven with annoyance.

"Start talking and maybe I'll humor you," Yang snapped back. Raven tried to sit up but found that her body refused her orders. She lay back and sighed. It was going to happen eventually. She knew that Yang was always going to look for her the moment she found out that Summer wasn't her real mother. She had been young and foolish. The moment Yang found out she was her real mother, it was obvious from what Qrow had told her, that Yang had been looking for her ever since.

She was weak… foolish, and emotional. A stupid teenage girl with abandonment issues. Gazing at her now, she was much different than what Raven had known from the girl. She had kept a keen eye on her growing up when she was able. She watched her daughter grow from afar, and she was not impressed at all. Taiyang treated Yang to a comfortable and cushy lifestyle. Treating both her and Ruby like princesses. Summer didn't help in that regard.

However, that girl was much different than the girl who was currently in her presence now.

"People are shaped by their experiences… huh?" Raven muttered. Yang raised an eyebrow.

"What was that?" Yang asked. Raven turned her head to the blonde, a scowl on her face, pretending she hadn't said anything.

"You were so _weak_ growing up. Taiyang and Summer… they gave you a life void of any responsibility or hardship. I was of different beliefs. I expected you to be strong and powerful, ruthless like I was," Raven explained in a tired, monotone voice. Recounting her memories was something she never did for anyone but her brother, and even then it was in rarity. "I labeled you _unworthy_ of knowing the truth,"

"You don't _get_ to decide anything about _me_ ," Yang snarled. Raven laughed bitterly.

"Evidently." Raven finally found the energy to push herself to a sitting position. The fighting was clearly over, and both girls had seemingly had enough. "You turned out stronger than myself… something I was not expecting," she continued. Yang just stared at the prideful woman with judgemental eyes. This woman was incredibly hard to read and even harder to understand, but Yang would try her best to understand. This was what she wanted after all.

"Just because I didn't grow up like you did, doesn't mean I wasn't going to be strong," Yang muttered angrily. Raven smirked.

"You want the truth? Fine, but don't blame me if you don't like it," she responded. Yang waited as Raven gathered her thoughts. Her daughter had beaten her. Regardless of her methods in doing so, she had been the one to fall. Yang had proved to her that she was strong enough to know why she had left, and her reasons behind doing so, even if they did seem jaded.

"Qrow and I were raised by murderers and thieves. Adept in deception and assassination. We raided and pillaged villages to survive and we killed with no hesitation or remorse. When we got older, we were sent to Beacon to learn how to _kill_ huntsmen, and how to fight like them. We made our way to Beacon and eventually met Summer and your father," Raven explained. Yang scowled at this information. Qrow had never mentioned anything like that before. While it was interesting to know the reasons why Raven and Qrow attended Beacon in the first place, the rest had been told by Taiyang.

"This is nice and all, but I didn't ask for your life story! I just want to know why you left me and dad when I was born!"

"This is part of it you stupid girl! Shut up and listen!" Raven snarled. Yang bit her tongue and expressed her discontent, but remained quiet.

"As I was saying… We formed a team at Beacon and grew stronger, formed friendships and fought together. Eventually, things got, well, complicated." Raven explained. Yang looked confused. What could she possibly mean by 'complicated'? Her time at Beacon seemed pretty straightforward for her.

"Complicated how exactly? We didn't have any problems in team RWBY."

"Your team didn't have two teenage boys who couldn't seem to keep it in their pants."

Yang's face morphed into that of disgust. She hadn't been expecting an answer quite like that.

"Wow… I really didn't need to know that."

"Anyway," Raven drawled, rolling her eyes dramatically in the process. "When I say complicated, I mean 'Love', and the _stupid_ things it does to people," she elaborated. Yang was starting to see where Raven was coming from in regards to this. Her dad didn't really talk about his old team much. When she brought it up, he'd either avoid the topic altogether or straight up explain exactly _why_ he didn't want to talk about it.

"Love…?" Yang asked quizzically. Raven rolled her eyes.

"You're father was quite fond of me."

"Clearly. You two _literally_ _made_ me."

"He was a persuasive man."

"Just get to the damn point already and please just… avoid any _unnecessary_ details," she pleaded. The last Yang wanted was to see another image of her parents doing the _nasty_ in the bedroom. In a situation like this, she might just punch Raven's lights out if she tried to do it again. However, it came as no surprise that Raven was rubbish at the mother-daughter talking moments.

"Alright, fine," Raven grounded out, clearly bored of the conversation already. "It started when I was pregnant with you. Over the years Qrow and I had grown to like life at Beacon. We weren't outcasts or savages. Qrow made up his mind to stay at Beacon, while I still contemplated returning to our tribe. You have to understand. They are my people and I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for them. I felt obligated to return, but that changed when you came into the picture."

Yang's eyebrows furrowed slightly. She didn't sense any lies or deceit in her voice. While there was a possibility Raven could be lying, at least these were answers. She wanted _some_ kind of closure for why her birth mother abandoned her.

"My mindset changed, and I was ready to settle down and put my past behind me. Believe it or not, it wasn't that easy. I was approached by my tribe in secret. Long story short, they threatened your safety. They told me they'd kill you. They were resourceful Yang, and I doubt either my protection or Taiyang's would have saved you. Qrow had no emotional ties, so they had no leverage over him. _I_ was the easy target," Raven explained. Yang felt her heart drop into her stomach as she gazed at the woman's pained facial features.

"I knew what they wanted from me. A trained huntress from Beacon Academy. One that could lead them and destroy anything in their path. I was given no other choice. I had to leave… and somewhere down the line, I guess I _forgot_ what it meant to really have a family that _cares_ ," she continued. Yang frowned. Something still didn't quite add up. Raven's attitude before the fight clearly showed she cared for the bandits in her tribe.

"You were busy saying how they were your people just moments earlier. What exactly changed?" Yang scowled. The blonde wasn't convinced at all. The explanation felt weak and flimsy, but honestly… what else could she have expected from this woman? It was pitiful. How could this woman be her mother? Summer had filled that spot just fine, but there was always something missing from her that Yang just couldn't quite understand.

"I don't know," Raven stated honestly. Sometimes she felt like she was walking a desert of lies and falsehoods. Her entire life had been chaos from the moment she had been born. "Maybe it's because you beat me… I've always preached about the strongest living and the weak perishing. I lived my life by those rules, and to this very day, I _still_ believe them. I guess I left… because I was _scared_. _You_ were my weakness," Raven finished, refusing to meet her daughter's eyes. Yang couldn't believe that after all these years, that was the reason her maternal parent had upped and left. Something inside of Yang felt so disappointed and sick. She didn't know what she was expecting. Raven was just… a coward. What else was there to see in this woman? Something inside the blonde snapped, her disbelief and anger pouring out all at once.

"You're full of crap!" Yang practically screamed. Raven merely gazed at her daughter in avid shock. "What kind of flimsy excuse is that? I'm your weakness? Oh, please! Get real!" Yang roared, her rage building. Raven averted her eyes. Whether or not it was shame or guilt that provoked her to do so, she wasn't sure, but she could not look at Yang.

"She's right you know," a new voice interrupted the building rage that the blonde was accumulating. The two females turned to look at the source of the new voice. Touching down in the smoking crater, was none other than Qrow Branwen. Raven's eyes widened significantly as he strolled towards the two of them. "You'd never understand the fear a _mother_ would feel for their child Yang. You have a long time before you will ever experience such a thing," Qrow informed sagely.

"You _knew_?" Raven accused in shock. Qrow scowled at her.

"What do you take me for? A fool? Of course I knew Raven," He snarked back. The rage that built in her eyes made Yang's look like a child's tantrum. She looked about ready to explode and rip every living thing in the vicinity to bits. Both Yang and Qrow could feel the dense power rolling off her in waves.

"You knew and never bothered to offer your help!?" she almost screamed. "You could have helped me!"

"As if you would have accepted my help to begin with! Besides, if you couldn't figure that out _yourself_ , then you didn't deserve to know!" Qrow shot back angrily, stunning her into silence. "You spent your life educating people on the meaning of strength and power. How weakness was to be avoided and removed. Well, guess what… you removed yours by walking out of her life," Qrow spat. His eyes held furious storms of hidden emotions that Raven hadn't seen in _years_.

Yang was just silent. She wasn't sure what to say on the matter. It was clear Raven had issues, but it was how deep those issues ran that Qrow was getting at. Her uncle's appearance was rather surprising and timely. She was actually wondering if he had been present for the whole fight. Had he watched? That was certainly an interesting question, but it would be one she'd keep to herself for now.

Qrow merely shook his head. The disappointment in his expression was as clear as day, and it did nothing but make Raven angrier. "Was I supposed to let Yang's safety be in constant danger? You and Summer were constantly working with Ozpin to counter Salem's movements! I couldn't trust you two to protect Yang if I couldn't be there for her. Taiyang would have been her only protection, and I knew that wasn't going to be enough!"

"So you ran off to join a bunch of murders and become their leader? When did that become an option?"

"What do you want from me Qrow!?" Raven retorted angrily. "I made the only choice that would remove the target placed on Yang's head! I did what I had to do! I couldn't risk her safety on _chance_! You know our people. They don't deal with idle threats. They would have had one of us and they would have used whatever they had to get us back. If our roles were reversed, I know you would have done the same!"

"No, because I'm not stubborn like you Raven. I would always look for another option. You just chose the easy one."

"How _dare_ you!" Raven hissed. "It wasn't easy at all!"

"No," Qrow sighed, running a hand through his slick black hair. "You're right. Those murderers are stubborn but I would have never abandoned my family. Did you learn nothing from our time at Beacon?" Qrow replied, gesturing to Yang who had been surprisingly silent until now. Raven balled her fists in anger. She and Qrow never saw eye to eye and likely never would. However, the longer this argument went on, the more she looked like a coward, and a fool. She turned, her eyes meeting lilac. The same color as the day she was born. A sadness encased Raven's heart in a block of ice. She felt cold and sick.

This was… her _daughter_.

She _loved_ Yang.

" _They're our light. Our hope. Our dreams and beliefs. They are the future we leave behind. They're the ones that carry the torches that we hand down. It's our job to teach them the reigns. Raven… you know this… so why do you deny it?_ " the words echoed in her head like a tormenting song. The last words she had ever heard Summer Rose say. She had been such a kind soul. She did _not_ deserve the fate that befell her in the end.

" _I'm sorry Summer. I guess… I was the coward in the end,_ " Raven thought as an onslaught of tears threatened to escape her eyes. She never cried. She was a mentally strong woman. She hadn't cried in years, but yet… now it felt like all the bottled emotions were about to overflow. Why did it have to happen now of all times? When survival of the fittest meant everything when a monster like Cell lurked in the shadows?

"I've always loved you, Yang. I just… I just want you to know that." Raven spoke. It was the most passionate thing Qrow had ever heard her say, and his reaction mirrored his thoughts. His red eyes widened as she pushed herself up, and attempted to walk away. She carried an atmosphere around her that he could only describe as a storm of shame and regret. Yang just watched with shocked eyes as she made her way towards the edge of the crater.

She made it all of about five steps before the pain overcame her body. Luckily, both Yang and Qrow caught the woman before she could fall. Propped over both their shoulders, Raven Branwen refused to look at either of them. She was not used to showing this kind of vulnerability. It was humiliating for her to even acknowledge it.

"Well, I guess that's as good a start as any," Yang commented blandly. The blonde's smirk was almost enough to make Raven feel sick. She felt like a failure. Her so-called pride she had been boasting about for years had been shattered and trampled upon in the space of a single battle. Her virtues had failed her, the resolve she lived by had been bested by another. Beaten by her own blood, and the same blood that she had deemed weak less than a year ago… how had she grown so strong in such a short time?

It had to be that boy she was with.

Gohan.

He had changed _everything_.

As the older woman was picked up by her daughter and younger brother, she refused to meet any of their eyes as they pulled her out of the crater. She hadn't felt this defenseless in decades. Having to rely on others just to help you watch was insulting to her already broken pride. How was she ever supposed to recover from this? Her gaze drifted towards Yang, the blonde only looking forward without a worry in the world. Her lilac eyes were full of strength and unbreakable resolve. How had she gained such a mental fortitude? From her knowledge, the death of Summer's daughter sent Yang into a depression so deep she might have never recovered.

But yet here she was, stronger than ever.

Ready to continue moving forward and to never look back.

Raven had never felt so weak in her life.

She couldn't even find it within herself to feel jealous of her daughter. Just bitter acceptance.

Qrow had called her a coward when they had first met after she left Yang and Taiyang behind. She had scoffed and turned away, refusing to answer him. It only just occurred to her now that Qrow was right.

She had been a coward, running from a responsibility. One so important she had deluded herself into thinking she had made the right choice.

" _I've been running for too long._ "

No more.

The lies and delusions end here.

Now it was time to face the music.

=/=

* * *

=/=

The duo was silent until they landed in Mistral.

There was a tense atmosphere around them, one so thick you could cut it with a knife and watch the emotions ooze out like a lava cake. They both knew why they were there and it was clearly obvious that they were itching to get this little errand over with. Apparently, Doctor Watts was one of Salem's most trusted associates, never once stepping out of line from what Cinder mentioned.

She seemed to know him well enough to case out all the potential places the man would be staying, or the districts he would frequent. Unfortunately for the both of them, he seemed to be completely absent. It only served to aggravate Cinder, which in turn caused Pyrrha's mood to darken. For the most part, her disguise seemed to be working. She only received a few stares, but that was about it.

"So why does Raven want Doctor Watts?" she asked. Cinder rounded on Pyrrha with an annoyed frown, which seemed to be a trend for both of them nowadays. They hadn't known each other that long, but anyone could tell that the two weren't exactly the closest friends. It was like watching two hateful rivals jab each other, just waiting until one of them snapped. Pyrrha didn't consider Cinder a rival at all, while the half-Maiden saw Pyrrha as an obstacle to pass.

"Why are you asking me? I don't pretend to know everything that tribunal brute has planned. It's none of my business. Why don't you just do us both a favor and shut up," the seductive maiden hissed. The golden clad warrior scowled in response. Cinder had seemed to have grown more petty and stand-offish since she had beaten her into the ground. It was never Pyrrha's intention to brutalize her like that, but her anger had gotten the best of her in that moment.

"You are insufferable," Pyrrha muttered. Cinder scoffed, turning away and continuing down the dirt streets of Mistral's middle-class sector.

"That makes two of us."

The two walked in silence around the city. The atmosphere around the Kingdom was rather peaceful and exquisite. The tranquil scenery was something to be marveled at. Pyrrha loved this city, she had grown up in it, and she had attended Sanctum Academy here. However, memories of her restricted life were brought back to her as she walked the streets. A silent sigh escaped her lips as the cold bitterness inside of her had seemingly woken up. Years of being placed on a pedestal and used as an icon for aspiring huntsmen for her age.

Sometimes she was convinced she would have done better without all the attention Sanctum had given her.

After hours of walking and blending in with the civilians of Mistral, the empowered huntress duo came upon a popular cafe, one that both of them seemed quite familiar with. It had been awhile since the two of them had eaten and all the searching had provided them with very little, if not any favorable results. Pyrrha didn't even have to ask as Cinder just walked in and sat down at a table.

"I didn't know you liked the Glass Princess cafe," Pyrrha noted as they found a table and took a seat. Cinder looked up, an irritated frown etched on her face. Why did this stuck up, pretentious little girl wish to make small talk with someone like her? If this was her attempt to try and put any bad blood behind them, she wasn't being very successful.

"I liked this place when I was younger," Cinder stated simply. Pyrrha's eyes raised slightly.

"So you were raised in Mistral then?" her constant questions were starting to annoy the crimson queen.

"Why do you care?" Cinder snapped. Pyrrha merely frowned and rolled her eyes.

"I'm sick of the tension between us. I may have said and _done_ some things before that I regret. Regardless of your past, I wish to start anew. If we are going to work together, I want to know you for who you are, not what you've done," Pyrrha replied. Cinder could tell that the girl was forcing the words out of her mouth, but there was meaning behind those words.

"Oh?" Cinder smirked as she unfolded the cafe menu and browsed the contents. She crossed her legs, leaned back in her chair and gazed at Pyrrha from behind the card. The awkward emerald eyed amazon gazed back with an unsure expression. Cinder's thoughts drifted back briefly to the days when she was following through with her plans to bring down Beacon. Emerald and Mercury were just associates. While she knew Emerald had some kind of fascination with her, Cinder saw them as nothing more than means to an end. There was no trust factor there in case something went wrong.

Which it did.

She almost died.

Emerald and Mercury were nowhere to be found as she climbed out of the ruins of Beacon Academy. Adam was likely doing whatever he pleased in the midst of the chaos. Neo and Torchwick properly took advantage of the chaos to loot as much as they could before hightailing it out of Vale. With Cell there, no one wanted to stick around, and some part of her couldn't blame them for running. Cell was terrifyingly powerful. Nothing could stand up to him, not even Gohan who seemed to bat aside the power of a Maiden like it was nothing but a flea.

The boy broke her aura and crippled her in one hit.

 _One._

The full power of the Fall Maiden wasn't powerful enough to close that kind of gap.

She got caught in a trap and had no one to bail her out. Not even Salem, the one who had promised her so much. The moment she failed in her objective, she became expendable and Salem didn't like keeping around expendable people. If it wasn't for Qrow Branwen's mercy, she would have been killed by the Grimm, eaten alive by the monsters that Salem controlled. A sickly feeling of isolation dawned upon Cinder once again, reminding her how utterly alone she was in this world. She had been alone from the start. Alone and weak.

She thought she had been making progress, but in reality.

 _Nothing had changed at all._

As these thoughts drifted through her head, her smirk turned into that of a thoughtful frown, causing Pyrrha to raise an eyebrow at the Red Queen's sudden change in expression.

"The fact that I tried to destroy Beacon and kill all your friends doesn't bother you?" Cinder leaned in on her elbows, questioning the redhead with a moderately serious gaze. Pyrrha could see the subtle confusion in her eyes as if Cinder didn't know the meaning of the word forgiveness. "If someone had tried to do that to me, I wouldn't hesitate in hunting them down and paying them back twice over."

"I don't like holding grudges. I'd like to think I can forgive you but you are making that very difficult."

"Forgiveness is a weakness," Cinder practically spat. "I'd rather watch those who wronged me perish than allow them to continue living."

"Maybe that's the problem, Cinder. Revenge is poisonous. Some people say there is strength in forgiveness. As far as I'm concerned, you haven't given me a proper reason to label you as someone as bad as Cell. There's no denying you played a part in the downfall of Vale, but I believe you can change," Pyrrha explained. Cinder couldn't help but gag at the cheesiness of her words. It was like something out of a fantasy novel and it made Cinder sick to her stomach.

"I believe you can _change_ ," Cinder mocked lightly, mimicking Pyrrha's words. "I don't understand why you are even trying to begin with. Does it look like I want to be _friends_ with someone like you?" the red queen spoke, a dangerous edge to her voice. Pyrrha rolled her eyes in aggravation as Cinder once again closed herself off.

"I thought that maybe someone with absolutely no friends should deserve at least _one_ ," Pyrrha said with venom dripping from her voice. Cinder opened her mouth to respond with something snarky, but stopped. The words that Pyrrha had just voiced had more of an impact than she had originally thought. Not only was she chasing the dreams of power, but she had absolutely no one to help her get there that genuinely cared about her. There was Emerald… but she was more of a pet if anything. Following her around and doing anything she commanded.

" _I don't need anyone! I'm strong enough on my own."_

"What the hell do you know?" Cinder shot back defensively. The prodigy knew she had hit a sore spot in the way Cinder's normal, confident facade seemed to crumble almost poetically. She narrowed her eyes as Cinder seemed to shrink back into her form. She was extremely vulnerable and she knew this. Taking advantage of this weakness was the only way she was going to get through to this stubborn woman. As much as Pyrrha didn't want to admit it, she could see the similarities between them. They had just been placed on opposite ends of the spectrum.

"More than you might think!" Pyrrha voiced a little too loudly. Luckily no one around them seemed to take notice. "You've done your research on me… for the most of my life, I've been placed on a pedestal. People wanted to _be me_ and they were jealous of me! What they don't know is what that _fame_ did to me! I was Pyrrha Nikos, the invincible girl! That's all I was. A title, a bar set in place for other people to compare themselves to. I didn't have any friends and those that tried only cared about my money or my status."

"Oh, woe is me!" Cinder hissed. "That sounds absolutely _dreadful!_ " the Red Queen stated with obvious sarcasm. Pyrrha growled slightly but as she went to open her mouth, Cinder continued on with her rant. This time, with a much more hateful look in her eyes. "You don't know me! Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want you to know me? This world has rejected me more times than I can count. So it can _burn_ for all I care," Cinder shot back. Pyrrha's rage snapped.

"Then maybe you should start giving the world reasons to accept you rather than deny you! You have been nothing but rude and abrasive since we met back at Beacon! You haven't changed a single bit, but I know you're capable!" the stubbornness of Pyrrha's voice was starting to irritate Cinder, but she could not deny the truth to the younger girl's words. No one was born evil and Cinder would be lying if she hadn't mused over these thoughts previously as her years under Salem's command went by. She was human after all and had a sense of humility. She wasn't close to the edges of insanity like Tyrion had been.

She was just selfish and power hungry.

"Why are you even trying?" Cinder looked away, a depressed frown on her face. Pyrrha's expression lightened as she saw the woman's features change. No matter how strong you were, there was always that abyss that you often come close to. Cinder was on the edge of it, looking at rock bottom. Killing Tyrion the previous night had only proved that she gained very little satisfaction over killing those weaker than her. It was short, quick satisfaction, not long term.

"I don't know," Pyrrha stated honestly. "Maybe its because its who I am. I desire to see the best in people, and when I look at you, all I see is someone who made the wrong choices. I see someone in need of a friend," Pyrrha softly replied. Cinder flinched as she remembered the very same words come out of Qrow Branwen. The man who was willing to walk away and let her die for the sake of humanity, only to spare her at the very last second out of mercy and pity.

" _When I look at you, all I see is a girl who made all the wrong choices,_ " his words echoed in her mind. His very voice made her angry. Her pride felt shattered the moment he had spared her… as if she were some kind of weak, helpless child. She was Cinder Fall. She had carved her own path, and somehow it had ended up here.

Where she was being lectured by Pyrrha Nikos of all people.

Cinder laughed bitterly.

"So what…? I just turn over a new leaf? Start fighting for the people and protecting the innocent?" she questioned sardonically. Pyrrha just sat there and stared at her. Cinder slowed her chuckle as she realized that what she said was exactly what Pyrrha was entertaining. The look on the redhead's face was completely serious, causing Cinder's gaze to narrow in disbelief.

"You can't be serious. After what I've done? You really think people are that naive and forgiving?" Cinder chastised. The redhead grimaced. The crimes that the red queen had committed were grave and damning. They were big enough for life sentences in prison. She had helped… no. She had been a prime instigator for the fall of Beacon. "People don't just forgive and forget Pyrrha. People don't change."

"Maybe I'm being foolish. Maybe you _can't_ change, Cinder. Only you can prove to me and everyone else that you are capable of much more than you believe you are. I'm not going to sit here and tell you falsehoods. People may never forgive you for what you've done, but honestly? I think it's better to _try_ and make up for what's happened than to continue to resent the world, because then nothing will change," Pyrrha stated.

Cinder opened her mouth to shoot back a response when her voice died in her throat. For a few moments of weakness, she allowed Pyrrha's words to reach her, contemplating if she was actually right or not. It couldn't hurt to try. Nothing she had done up till now had resulted in anything substantial. Perhaps this was the world trying to get her on the right path. As ridiculous as it sounded, perhaps Pyrrha was _right_.

"Perhaps you are right..."

"Yes, she is. It seems nothing has changed after all Cinder. You are as childish and pathetic as you have always been."

The new voice was startling for Pyrrha but made Cinder's blood run cold. As the two girls turned, they saw the man they had been looking for standing a few feet away from them, with a squadron of Mistral Guards at his side, with their guns trained on the two girls. They were too momentarily stunned to act upon the situation.

"Ms. Cinder Fall and… Ms. Pyrrha Nikos?" Watts paused, his expression displaying false shock. "Heaven's, what is someone like you doing associating yourself with criminal scum like this?" the man questioned, gesturing to a fuming Cinder. Pyrrha had been caught off guard as everyone in the cafe turned their heads at the mention of her name. After a few moments, she managed to collect her thoughts and organize a response, but it had come too late.

"As shameful as it is for me to say, you are hereby under arrest for conspiring the downfall of the Kingdom of Mistral. This order comes from Professor Lionheart himself. Please come quietly. We do not wish to cause more of a scene than we already are," Watts smirked. Cinder's expression was ghastly and filled with rage. Pyrrha's was one of confusion. Had they just fallen into a trap? The longer Pyrrha gazed at the man's face, the faster she came to the conclusion that he had expected and prepared for this situation. They were in a public place, surrounded by innocent people. If they fought back here, they would cause a scene and ultimately, civilians would get hurt. That was the last thing Pyrrha wanted.

Whispers started to break out around the cafe, while pedestrians from outside were starting to gather round to investigate the commotion.

"Surely this is a misunderstanding. We haven't done anything wrong." the redhead countered calmly. Unfortunately, Watts didn't look the least bit fazed.

"I'm afraid there is no misunderstanding my dear. Ms. Cinder Fall is a wanted criminal. She has been documented and identified by many witnesses from the Fall of Beacon as one of the perpetrators that helped destroy the Kingdom of Vale."

"You disgusting snake!-" Cinder was pulled to her feet by one of the guards. She immediately turned, backhanding the two guards into the nearest wall. The collided hard, instantly sending them into a state of unconsciousness. The inhabitants of the cafe broke into a panic, making for the nearest exit while the guards made haste to train their weapons on Cinder, who more than welcomed the threat. Pyrrha thought she could have handled the situation, but that plan flew out the window the moment Cinder lashed out and attacked. "Put your hands on me if you want to die!"

"Cinder stop!" Pyrrha pleaded, her words falling on deaf ears.

"Guards, seize them!" Watts ordered. The soldiers moved forward. Cinder growled immediately summoning flames to her hands. Watts didn't seem the least bit intimidated. First Tyrion and now Watts… they seemed drawn to her like moths to a flame. She'd make quick work of him and deliver him to Raven as promised.

As if she would be captured here with the power she had gained.

"Over my dead body!" she snarled viciously. Pyrrha saw what was about to happen. She jumped in front of Cinder and stopped her, the older woman stunned at the action.

"Your misplaced faith is about to get us both captured, you brain-dead fool!" Cinder roared. "Stand aside and let me accomplish what we came here to do! If you're too spineless to do it, I will!"

"Stop and think about what you're doing! Do you want to be labeled as a criminal and killer for the rest of your life? If we fight back now, we will only be proving to everyone around here that we are guilty!" Pyrrha hissed. Cinder growled back, butting heads with her. "I'm not about to let us both be labeled as terrorists who are just as bad as Cell!"

"What do I care what other people think!?" Cinder snapped. Pyrrha was yanked away from Cinder and was placed in handcuffs by one of the guards. The others steadily approached Cinder, seeing as she was looking ready to explode. "You are an utter disappointment, Nikos! Such power is wasted on a bleeding heart!" Cinder powered up, a deadly smirk gracing her face. The guards all opened fire, the dust rounds disintegrating before they could even reach Cinder's body. Her scorching maiden powers mixed with her inner energy made for a sight to behold. Pyrrha gawked, realizing that Cinder had no intention of sparing anyone that attacked her.

"Cinder, I am warning you!-"

"Be silent!" Cinder barked, effectively silencing Pyrrha. Before the redhead could react, a portion of guards charged Cinder and in the space of a second, they all fell to the invisible movements that Cinder had made. A sickly smirk crossed her face as she lifted her hand towards the remaining guards, and by extension herself. Pyrrha prepared to power up, unwilling to let the last set of guards perish by Cinder's hand. However, in a strange twist, Cinder's face contorted in a mixture of agony and confusion. She stumbled, unable to catch her breath as her powerful aura vanished in an instant.

A dart protruded from the back of her neck, courtesy of Doctor Watts. The slimy man had somehow slipped out of sight and maneuvered his way around the room while Cinder had been preoccupied arguing with Pyrrha and fighting the guards. Cinder was immediately tackled by the remaining guards. Doctor Watts casually strolled over to see the Red Queen struggling to move.

"I'm surprised you can still move. I made that special compound to knock out the likes of Cell, or perhaps that boy. I guess I need to amplify the potency of the tranquilizer if someone as weak as you are able to resist its effects this well," Watts murmured in amusement. Cinder was pulled to her feet as Watts unceremoniously pulled the dart out of the back of Cinder's neck. Pyrrha almost felt sorry for the woman. She had gone as white as a sheet and looked ready to empty the contents of her stomach any moment.

"Caught off guard… by such a _cheap_ trick," Cinder hissed. The girl stared hatefully at Pyrrha. "I hope you're happy."

Pyrrha merely sighed as she turned to Doctor Watts.

"Where are you going to take us?" she questioned Watts. The man smiled.

"To prison of course. That's where terrorists are kept after all," the man replied with a smug tone.

"Prison!? Where's our trial!? This is crazy! We aren't terrorists!" she denied. She knew she could escape easily with her power, but she would be hurting innocent guards and civilians in the process. She wasn't about to do that in the Kingdom she grew up in. As much as it pained her to be captured like this, she wasn't about to be labeled a terrorist like Cell was. However, she was more concerned about what Cinder was going to do.

"You're as foolish as you have ever been Watts. You really think a prison can hold people like us?" Cinder growled as she looked at the darker skinned doctor. The man laughed once again, proving that he had ulterior motives other than just putting them in prison. Sure, they had become extraordinarily powerful, but he was a smart man. He had an image in this Kingdom, one that the people respected. When he heard of Tyrion's demise from Salem shortly after Pyrrha and Cinder landed in Mistral, he knew he wasn't going to make the same mistake as the madman.

"Oh, of course not, but breaking out would prove that you are all who we think you are. It would be in your best interests to stay put and do as you're told. That is what you're best at after all," Watts goaded. Cinder fought against her restraints, despite having her power temporarily sapped. A quick jab from Pyrrha's leg diverted Cinder's attention away from the man.

" **Don't**."

Pyrrha's warning infuriated Cinder to no end. The woman turned back to the Doctor, a murderous expression crossing her features.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping your heart out you bastard," she spat venomously. Watts watched with amusement as Pyrrha and Cinder were ushered away to prison by the local guards with a smirk on his face. That had been easier than he had initially thought. He had expected them to put up more of a fight, but naturally, he had underestimated how much Cinder had changed. Pyrrha Nikos had seemingly done some work on the girl. He smirked, satisfied with the work he had done as he watched the girls being directed to Mistral's prison.

" _Time to report to Salem_."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Okay, so that all happened. This chapter has been a burden on my mind for many reasons so allow me to give those of you that are interested in how I operate, an insight into how I do things. I wrote the base structure of events of this chapter way back in about July of last year. Yeah that's a long time ago, isn't it? Ever since I released chapter sixteen, I've been working on this chapter on and off and the more I read through it, the more I disliked it. I was so focused on making sure the characters of RWBY followed a similar pathway as their canon selves with the exception of Pyrrha, because… you know, she dead. I wanted it to be somewhat faithful to the source material while also putting my own spin on it. In Blake's case, I feel like I made a huge error in judgment.  
**

 **I didn't want to make it completely foreign because I was afraid you guys wouldn't know what was going on. However, this is partly due to my lack of confidence and disbelief that I could properly weave together a storyline that's easy to follow. So this is a personal issue and completely my fault.**

 **I'll admit this now, Pyrrha has been my favorite to write because I've been able to do whatever I wanted with her. Her story ended in canon at volume three. Anything past that was up to me, and so far it's been really fun. Watching her character bounce off Cinder has been an incredible ride for me as a writer. On the other hand, Blake's story arc has been… urg, how do I say this?**

 **Lackluster? Boring? In Canon, and in this. I thought I could fix it, but from my point of view, I don't think I have. Her story has become a chore to write, and to be honest I'm glad I made it as short as I did, otherwise it was going to be a huge issue. Her scene in this chapter has been the biggest blockade for me. The bath scene. Should I have kept it, or done something different? I can't count how many times I've debated it with my editors. There was the argument that it was important for the development of BlackSun (the only development it's going to get), and then there's the counterpoint that romance has never been this story's focal point so what does that scene serve as? I can only say character growth and even that's pushing it a bit. In the end, I decided to keep it and make some adjustments to it.  
**

 **If I were to fix her current arc, in a hypothetical rewrite, I probably wouldn't have her go to Menagerie at all.  
**

 **This story may have a Gohan/Yang pairing, but not once have I really ever taken a stance to push that romantic subplot outside of the two just becoming a couple in the aftermath of a horrible tragedy to cope with the pain. Simply put, I didn't and still don't want to drag out the story with romance that from my perspective has no reason being there. I know you're going to say, then why have it at all then? Well, good question. Why is it there? I could remove the pairings entirely and the story would be exactly the same, aside from a few minor details being removed. I guess it's just an excuse for me to push those two characters into intimate situations, but after a year of writing this story and learning many things from multiple different writing courses, I have come to learn that there are better ways to do it.**

 **Another thing you guys may have noticed by now is that Gohan, the main character of this story seems to have taken some kind of backseat, and his presence is only really utilized when he is absolutely needed. This stems from the fact that this second arc focuses more on the characters of RWBY and how they cope with the aftermath of the first arc, being the fall of Beacon and the revelation of Cell. I don't know why, but it bothers me that I've written Gohan this way, and If I were to go back and rewrite this story, there would be many changes. I was trying to avoid the trope/cliche of having Gohan solve all their problems, but I feel the way I went about it was a bit too extreme.**

 **Notice how Gohan has been doing a lot of standing around and observing since chapter ten? Yeah, me too. I've only just recently come to this conclusion after doing some reflection.**

 **On another note, Volume 5 ended. Old news now but I would be lying if I said it didn't have an impact on this story's development. I gained a lot of insight into certain characters, mostly that of Raven. I won't mince my words, I was rather disappointed with the way she was characterized. Her voice actor aside, I feel like I had her character pegged from her short appearance in Volume 4 and that Volume 5 did nothing but annoy me with how whiny and victimized she sounded.**

 **I wasn't too far off. I'll say this now so that people won't get confused.**

 **This story completely ignores any major plot points that Volume 5 introduced.**

 **Things like the Vaults of the Relics and how only certain maidens can open them, or what the relics look like are totally irrelevant, so don't expect me to incorporate those aspects this late into the story. I already know how this story ends, and the rest of the details left to cover. I do use things from Volume 5 like Raven's tribe and her reason for going to Beacon, but Raven is not the Spring Maiden and never was. Those sorts of plot points are ignored for the sake of maintaining the consistency that I have tried to develop since this story's conception.**

 **Other than that, I think I'm done with my rant. This chapter has been extremely difficult to get done to a point where I can look at it and think it's somewhat passable. I had a lot to get off my chest concerning this story, and if you continue to stick with me after all that I've said, and this chapter, then I once again thank you. I promise you I will see this through until the end.  
**

 **If anything doesn't make sense, here, I'll be more than happy to explain in a PM.**

 **Until next time guys.**


	18. Breaking Limits

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys! Back again with another chapter. I found myself with excess time so I managed to get around to doing this chapter pretty quickly. Next update should be Pride of Four, so look forward to that.**

 **I'll quickly address something from the last chapter. Cinder wasn't able to deflect the dart because she wasn't paying attention. She isn't that proficient in Ki enough to use it to block stuff like that quite yet. Most of her power comes from mixing her Maiden powers with Ki, which I think I've already established as being quite volatile and dangerous.  
**

 **So I'm pretty excited for this chapter to be over and done with because I finally wrap up Blake's little mini-arc (which is my least favorite) and Cinder/Pyrrha's arc, which is my most favorite. I think you'll be able to tell just by the way I write the two scenes, which one I favor more. I guess the more experience you have, the less obvious it becomes, so that's something I'll be working on to improve. Unfortunately no Gohan this chapter, but the next chapter features mostly him, Yang, Raven, and Qrow for the most part.  
**

 **Also, lots of surprises in this chapter. So I hope you guys like 'em.**

 **NEW DISCORD LINK: : / / dis c ord . g g /qakCBVm**

 **Remove the spaces.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter Eighteen: Breaking Limits_

What exactly was _power_? This had been a question Ruby had constantly been plagued by since her arrival on King Kai's planet.

She used to think combat was simple. Using a weapon to combat the Grimm was commonplace and expected. Utilizing your aura and semblance to its maximum potential had been encouraged since day one of her entry to _Signal_ Academy. All across history, the best huntsmen had been masters in taking advantage of their special powers. Their aura, their semblance and their skill with weapons. She had read stories of heroes capable of almost anything! She wanted to be just like them! She pined for the day that she could be the hero she had always dreamed of being.

Now, imagine her surprise when all these concepts were just the _beginning_ of something so much _bigger_. Her inner energy was potent from what Piccolo had told her. A well of incredible power lay buried deep within and her two teachers had made it their mission to bring it out.

Ruby grunted with fierce concentration as sweat rolled down her forehead. A burning red inferno surrounded her small body, a crimson tint to her skin growing darker by the second as she continued to push herself to her limits. According to her two teachers, limits were made to be broken, a wall to be torn down. There was so such thing as hitting your limit with them. No matter how agonizing it was, they pushed her to break them down, to surpass what it meant to be a human. Ruby had learned through the blood, sweat, and tears that power came at a _heavy_ price.

" _Times Eight!_ " her mind roared as her body plead for mercy. Her weakness had been beaten out of her very quickly these last few months. The new world of strength and power she had entered was nothing short of brutal. It felt as if she were torturing her body, but once she learned how to tap into her energy, that torture had been a blessing. It was like her physical form had learned and adapted from all the abuse it had been receiving. Her durability and stamina shot through the roof and her speed was faster than it had ever been!

Not to mention the additional multitudes of gravity she had been training under. Once she had reached an acceptable level of strength, King Kai returned the gravity of his planet back to normal. Ruby struggled at first but adapted fast with the help and encouragement of both Goku and Piccolo. Now, months later, she was reaching heights she never knew were even possible.

"Be careful Ruby! You know what happened last time you pushed yourself beyond ten," King Kai warned. Ruby heeded the Kai's words but gave no indication that she heard him. She would never forget the time she had pushed herself a little too far, crying as almost every bone in her body shattered under the strain. It took days of healing for her to even attempt to use that technique again. It had been a learning experience she would never forget. With a short roar, she capped off her power at the eight times multiplier. Her gaze narrowed on Piccolo, the Namekian stepping forward the moment she had finished.

Removing his cape and turban, the green warrior stepped forward, powering up as he did so. The ground cracked underneath the Namekian's jaw-dropping power, his fierce growl echoing through the heavens. A white flame circled his body, mirroring Ruby's own crimson one.

"Come!" Piccolo ordered. Ruby shot forward, utilizing her semblance as well as the incredible speed she had gained over the months of training. She easily exceeded speeds of _light_ , but Piccolo was no stranger that kind of momentum, having trained against a Super Saiyan for many years. The two met with a violent clash, sending lose debris everywhere. King Kai was almost blown away, along with Bubbles and Gregory, all the while Goku stood watching, a look of excitement on his face. Ruby's outstretched arm had connected with Piccolo's. The Namekian smirked as Ruby struggled to push the more experienced warrior backwards.

"Incredible. You're starting to understand! You remind me a lot of Gohan when he was a boy, however…" Piccolo's hand unwound and wrapped itself around Ruby's fist, pulling it forward and wrenching her off balance. "You still have much to learn!" he roared, ramming his knee into her stomach. Winded, Ruby gagged as spit flew out of her mouth. Piccolo tossed her away, her body flung like some kind of lifeless ragdoll. Ruby wasn't a stranger to being tossed around like this. Her much smaller body made it easier for the two much larger fighters to throw her around. Thus, she had become extremely proficient at recovering quickly.

Halting her movement in mid-air, a violent red aura exploded around her as she flashed right back to Piccolo and engaged him with full force.

" _I was so innocent and weak!_ " each punch she landed sent small shockwaves throughout the small planet, keeping the Namekian warrior on the defensive. A blazing fire raged behind her eyes, her tunnel vision keeping her focused on the fight and nothing else. The desire to be stronger and rise above all had never driven her so madly as it did now. Her death to Cell remained ever present in the back of her mind, a cold reminder of the depths of cruelty evil could inflict.

Never had she felt so out of place and helpless.

Her determination became boundless, unchained. The warrior spirit within her exploded forth.

"Wow! Look at her go!" Goku exclaimed from the sidelines. Ruby was a flurry of crimson madness, throwing attacks faster than any normal person was capable of performing. At the same time, she was using her speed like a trained professional. Piccolo was impressed with her progress and she was even starting to get a grip on how to control her silver eyed power! It was an amazing feat indeed, and she had caught him off guard with it a couple of times. The ability to drain her opponent's energy and turning it on her enemy in a matter of moments was frightening.

That was an ability that was going to be useful against Cell.

She didn't have much longer here, so she had to make the most of her training while she could. Goku was already making preparations to return to life for twenty-four hours so he could go to Namek and use their Dragon Balls to return both her and Piccolo to life, as well as revert the damage done to the Earth by the Androids. Krillin and the rest of the deceased Z Fighters didn't mind waiting much longer, considering they had been dead for years.

"Excellent work Ruby! Focus on your strengths and make your opponent fight on _your_ terms, not theirs!" Piccolo called out as he dodged another attack. Her movements were becoming less telegraphed. She was becoming more unpredictable in the way she moved. She was starting to become less like an amateur fighter when she arrived and more like a seasoned warrior. Both of them were very impressed and Goku even commented that she was as strong as he was when he first fought Freeza. She didn't quite know how strong that was, but both of them seemed to be extremely impressed with how far she had managed to come in such a short amount of time.

However, if she was going to help in the fight against Cell, she still had leagues to go before she even stood a chance.

Piccolo fired a quick Special Beam Cannon, only to have Ruby's silver eyes flash and absorb the entire thing. Ruby grunted as the excess energy threatened to tear her body apart. She screamed as she released the power in an energy blast that Piccolo easily avoided. He smirked as he spin-kicked her, sending the girl barreling backwards. The Namekian landed, crossing his arms with a critical smirk on his face.

"Your silver-eyes can't bail you out every time you find yourself unable to dodge, Ruby. I took advantage of the fact that you couldn't absorb all that energy and release it in time to actually hit me. If you try and do the same thing you did against Cell before you died, you'll fry every muscle in your body. You couldn't handle that much energy the first time and it ultimately left you unable to move," he lectured as Ruby dragged herself to her feet. Her breathing was labored and her body was wracked with pain. She momentarily dropped out of Kaioken as she attempted to regulate her energy.

"You're unintentionally handicapping yourself, Ruby," Goku informed as he approached her from the side. She gave him a questionable look as he attempted to explain her error. "Using the Kaioken, as you know, requires intense concentration and forces you to keep your energy in check. If you absorb excess energy with your silver-eyes while in that form it throws off your balance and will cause you pain, as well as forcing you to expel it immediately. Your body can't handle it."

"In other words," Piccolo cut in. "Using the Kaioken in conjunction with you silver-eyes is a good way to get yourself killed. I would heavily advise against it."

"So if I need to use my silver-eyes, I need to drop out of Kaioken, otherwise I risk damaging my body… or even worse, killing myself?" Ruby asked, her voice slightly strained. Both Goku and Piccolo nodded at the question, causing Ruby's head to drop in frustration. That just meant more work for her. Constantly switching out between using the two sounded like a pain and would require her to master the Kaioken. She knew she had a while to go before she could claim she had perfected the transformation.

"Let's continue. I'd rather not waste any more time," Piccolo stated as Ruby exhaled. She nodded and allowed the Kaioken to once again surround her body. Goku took a few steps back as the two launched into battle once again. This time, Ruby attempted to apply the lesson she had just learned in combat. She was a little sloppy and it amused the turtle student. She was no Saiyan, so it would take her much longer to adapt to the conditions of her new abilities.

It was a few hours later that fatigue started to overwhelm the girl as her abilities began to wane and her movements became predictable.

"Your speed and tactics are excellent but your physical strength still leaves a lot to be desired," Piccolo analyzed. Ruby broke off the engagement and landed a few meters away from him. She reared her head back and let out the most annoying whine she could muster. She was frustrated and tired, while Piccolo seemed to look like he could keep going for another few hours. He was definitely sweating but he didn't even look close to being finished.

"Awwwwwwww man! I was never built for this kind of fighting! My sister was always the hard hitter. I fought most of the time with my weapon! How many times do I have to say that?" she whined. Piccolo merely shook his head, the majority of her complaints being ignored. The fact of the matter was, she was putting most of her focus on tactics and speed. Without the Kaioken, she wasn't putting any serious energy into her strikes. She relied solely on the Kaioken to do damage and that was something he needed to fix.

He hadn't met anyone in his life that wanted to do as little damage as possible. It was in her nature. She didn't want to hurt people, and it reminded him of Gohan. However, it took the boy a while to put aside his merciful nature and really tap into the warrior spirit that lay dormant inside of him. With Ruby, however… she had the mind of a fighter and a warrior, but she was too kind-hearted and gentle to even hurt a fly. It was contradictory, to say the least.

"There will be times in a fight where you don't _have_ your weapon with you. Sometimes you will just have to make do with what strengths you have. You _need_ to focus your energy on your striking power when you go in for an attack, otherwise, your opponents will just stagger and not take any damage," Piccolo chastised. Goku and King Kai watched on with amusement as Ruby just pouted.

"If only I had my baby…" Ruby muttered. Crescent Rose did most of her talking when it came to fighting. She had no doubt if she had it here with her now that things would be very different. However, that was her childish side speaking and not one of a seasoned warrior. She still had a long way to go.

"Goku. Do you want to switch out?"

"Sure!" the eager Saiyan responded. Ruby swallowed the fear that had crept into her throat. Fighting with Piccolo was much easier than fighting with Goku. The green adult seemed to know what her limits were, and fighting with his full strength would probably cause her serious injury, despite her body being more durable due to the afterlife. "I've been itching to have a go for a while,"

"I would like to put that to a vote," Ruby protested in vain. Goku grinned as he transformed into a Super Saiyan. He flexed his arms and stretched out his legs. Her voice went unheard, or maybe the other three present didn't exactly care. They didn't seem to really give her propositions any consideration. She only really voiced them when she was fighting Goku.

"You ready?" Goku grinned as he lowered himself into a stance. Ruby whimpered.

"At least you asked this time-" the crimsonette was cut off as Goku threw his palm forward, an invisible wave of energy exploded out of it and slammed into Ruby's body. She was blown away comically as Goku sped after her immediately after his attack connected. The younger girl adjusting herself in the air and vanished, leaving naught but rose petals. Goku smirked as he raised a single finger, placing it in front of his face.

Ruby reappeared behind Goku in an attempt to catch him off guard, but in an instant, he had spun around and blocked her kick with a single finger. He grinned as he caught her leg. The younger Rose didn't even get a chance to scream as she was tossed around the planet at speeds that would have killed any normal human being.

"This is-" she screamed as she crashed into the ground. She pulled her head from the dirt, spitting out rocks and grass alike. "-so unfair! Why do I have to fight you when you're all golden!?" she cried childishly. Goku appeared before her with his arms crossed. His brilliant golden aura sparking, mirroring his carefree and happy-go-lucky attitude.

"You can only get stronger by battling against impossible odds. The body learns and adapts to the conditions. The more peril you are placed in, the more power your body starts to generate," Goku explained. He placed a finger on his chin in wonder. "I swear I've explained this to you before," he voiced absently. Ruby grinned as she placed two fingers to her forehead and vanished. Piccolo merely smirked from the sidelines.

She appeared behind Goku in a flash of red, firing off a blast that sent the Saiyan barreling forwards. He tumbled before catching himself in the air, hovering a few meters above the ground. He had an amused smile on his face as he watched Ruby fist pump with her victorious attack. He gently glided back to the ground and landed, crossing his arms once again.

"You really are getting the hang of that technique. Instant Transmission is pretty handy in those kinds of situations isn't it?" he laughed. Ruby nodded as a red aura exploded around her, fueling her body with energy and power. The ground beneath her cracked and split apart as she continued to push herself further. The crimson aura darkened as her body started to mirror the aura. Her skin took on a light crimson tone as she transformed.

"What did I say before!?" King Kai barked. "You're body is still fragile from the last time you pushed yourself so far! If you go beyond the ten times multiplier, your body will collapse!" the small Kai bellowed. However, Ruby was feeling more confident than ever.

"What's say we even the playing field a bit?" he suggested, dropping out of Super Saiyan. Piccolo and King Kai remained silent as they watched with impassive looks on their faces. Their eyes were on Ruby after all, and the last time she had used this technique, the girl had foolishly overestimated her ability to control the form. She seemed to overestimate herself quite a bit since learning how to control her energy.

The crimson aura exploded around the Saiyan after an ear-splitting scream. Ruby watched with avid fascination as the Saiyan's power continued to grow. He had managed to master the form all the way up to a thirty times multiplier. It was incredible that the older Saiyan had managed a feat so painful. The Kaioken technique put her body in unimaginable pain if she climbed any higher than eight. She let a brief smile grace her features.

"Are you ready Goku?" she asked. The Saiyan across from her smirked. His fists tightened.

"I'm always ready!"

=/=

* * *

=/=

Blake was thankful she was able to hide her blush so well.

After getting out of the underground hot spring, she quickly dried herself off and got changed. She made sure Sun wasn't watching, but after rejoining with him to look through the old ruins, she was thankful his attention was elsewhere. Her raging red cheeks were doing her no favors while Sun walked beside her.

"That was fun," he commented, breaking the silence. Blake would have never admitted it, but she had to agree. It was a nice change of pace and managed to take her mind off the serious issues like Cell and other global threats. The responsibility on her shoulders was immense and she could only wonder how the others were doing. Stuck in some ancient ruins was not somewhere she wanted to be right now… but she had to investigate the legend.

"It was… nice," she responded hesitantly. Sun gave her a playful nudge. She wasn't expecting the gesture and jumped a bit, causing the monkey faunus to laugh. She simply rolled her eyes and continued on. It was comforting knowing that Sun was down here with her. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like if she had to search alone. His cheerful attitude and bright personality made her happy and comfortable.

"Oh come on, admit it! You loved it," he grinned. Blake's burning blush grew as she fidgeted with her hands. She wasn't an innocent girl and her reading material certainly didn't do her any favors when she compared her situation to the more… _steamy_ scenarios found in her books. Her mind tended to wander when overcome with the sense of arousal and it took immense willpower to keep herself focused. She was a teenager after all… who could honestly blame her?

"Sun…" she whined. The boy held up his hands in surrender.

"Alright, I won't push it," he replied with a smile. After a few moments of silence, he decided to speak up again. "Soooooo… what exactly are we looking for again?" Sun asked. Blake took a moment to process his question. In the book she had read, it stated that the Guardian of Remnant lived in a temple somewhere south of Anima. That could only be Menagerie and this temple was proof enough that they were in the right place. So it would only make sense that he would be here, or at least… his remains. She had her doubts but immortality could mean many things. The Guardian could have perished in a battle for all she knew. Immortality didn't always mean you were invincible.

On another note, if this truly was the temple of the Guardian, then it would stand to reason that they would be located in some kind of throne room or central chamber. That was just an assumption though.

"A large chamber of sorts," she stopped herself. Honestly, it could be anything. "I'm not actually sure what we are looking for, but we will know when we find it," Blake replied. Sun turned his head and looked forward, seeing the most imposing door he had ever seen in his life. It stretched right up into the darkness of the ceiling, and possibly even beyond that. He shook Blake's shoulder and pointed to the large structure.

"So… something like that?" he asked. Blake looked up, her eyes meeting what Sun was pointing at. Her eyes brightened as she raced over towards the door and examined the materials, looking for a way through. She could just blast her way past, but with the ancient architecture, she wasn't sure if doing that would bring the whole place down on them. The last thing she wanted was to bury both her and Sun alive.

"This looks rather important," she noted as she scanned the wall. Being a faunus had its perks after all. She could see very well in the dark and the door itself had multiple carvings that any normal human would miss when glanced at without a proper light source. She had to pay attention to the details, otherwise, she would miss what it was trying to tell her. She was so busy looking at the inscriptions on the wall, she didn't notice Sun had walked over to a rather pointed brick sticking out of a wall at a funny angle.

"I wonder what this does?" he asked out loud as he pressed the stone button. It slid back into the wall and the door shuddered violently. Dust and rock fell from the ceiling as the door opened. Blake scowled at the blonde boy, who sheepishly shrugged. Sometimes, the most complex questions had the most simple answers. It seemed that Sun was the one to give that simple answer in this case.

"What!?" Sun responded indignantly. Blake's judging gaze only deepened. "Curiosity never killed the monkey, did it? Besides! I opened the door!" he gestured to the open passage while Blake let out a painful groan.

"Just… don't touch anything else," she chided, causing Sun's shoulders to drop significantly.

"Fine."

The two walked into the large open area. The room was incredibly large and right in the middle, was a pillar of light, shining right down on a throne that was occupied by a single figure dressed in robes. Blake's eyes narrowed as she felt a shift in the atmosphere. The hairs on the back of her neck started to stand on end, as if the world had suddenly stopped spinning, holding its breath in anticipation.

The room itself was circular in shape, centering in on the middle where a throne sat, highlighted by a spot of natural light that shone down from the ceiling. Blake's eyes were focused on the throne, as were Sun's. Sat in the middle, was a skeleton wrapped in a traditional robe that resembled something belonging to a priest. Blake's hopes sunk as she numbly climbed the stairs up to the throne and examined the body.

There was no way it was recent. There wasn't an ounce of flesh on it. These remains had been here for hundreds, if not thousands of years. The fabric that clung to the skeleton was tattered and ripped upon the slightest touch. A heavy sigh escaped Blake's lips as she eyed Sun standing a few feet away. She had really been hoping for some kind of breakthrough here.

"Yeah, definitely dead. Definitely looks like some kind of Guardian though," Sun commented as he flicked the skull. Blake growled at him as the skull jerked to the side from the sudden impact.

"Have some respect for the dead, Sun! Whoever this was… they were once the planet's protector," Blake looked down and examined the corpse. There wasn't any sign of damage from an external force. She was no forensic specialist, but from the looks of it, this person had died naturally of age. They had just… sat down and eventually their body gave out. That fate seemed rather grim to Blake. She couldn't imagine being so old and fragile with the strength she had attained now.

"Sorry! Jeez!" Sun backed away with an apologetic look on his face. After a few moments, he started shuffling his feet back and forth as Blake just continued to look at the old decomposing bones of the legendary Guardian. "So uh… what do we do now?"

"I suppose we just go back to the village. There doesn't seem to be anything here. I had my hopes, but… it seems that time isn't kind to anyone, no matter how powerful they are portrayed to be."

"You'd be right young lady."

The foreign voice startled Blake and Sun into a defensive stance. They immediately turned to the source of the voice. At the base of the stairs stood an older looking man, someone Blake recognized instantly. He was wearing a farmers attire, along with a straw hat. He had a rough look to him, with his piercing silver eyes and white beard that stretched all the way down to his chest.

"You're the old man that I bumped into at the Vytal Festival!" Blake exclaimed. The man chuckled lightly as he walked up to them in a friendly manner. He casually took a seat on the armrest of the throne, right next to the bones. His gaze fixated on the decomposing bones. After a few moments, he turned to Blake, completely ignoring Sun who was standing a few feet behind him.

"That I am. I get rather bored when I'm cooped up in here for years. I often venture out into the world when I feel brave enough. My power is dwindling nowadays. Especially with the events that have been set in motion. My time is very limited," he retorted with an unusual perkiness to his tone. It puzzled Blake that he spoke so casually about his timely demise. She couldn't take her eyes off him. There was something completely out of place about this guy and she couldn't nail it!

"What are you talking about!?" Blake asked, looking more lost than a child alone in a theme park. The man chuckled and gestured to the bones on the throne. Her amber eyes snapped between the two, trying to piece together what this man was trying to imply. After a few moments, her eyes narrowed when she figured out an answer, one she wasn't satisfied with but seemed to make some kind of sense. "You're… _him?_ "

"Strange isn't it?" he laughed once more, finding more amusement in the situation as the conversation continued. "It's been hundreds of years since anyone set foot in this tomb. I should introduce myself. I am the Guardian of Remnant… at least, I _was_. Technically, I still am but it's a complicated story."

"But… you're dead!" Sun exclaimed, cutting into the conversation. "How can that be you, if you're standing right in front of us!? That doesn't make any sense! You can't be dead and still be alive at the same time!"

"And who made those rules?" The man retorted incredulously.

"It's impossible!" Sun snapped right back.

"Rubbish," the constant denial from the man seemed to be forcing Sun into some kind of mental breakdown. The Guardian was obviously finding some kind of twisted joy in this exchange. Blake rubbed her temples to try and relieve some of the stress she was starting to feel. After she had managed to organize her thoughts, she decided to approach the conversation from a different angle.

"So you're some kind of ghost?"

"You could say that. Tell me, what is it that all of us that are born on Remnant have in common?" he asked. Blake frowned at the question. She opened her mouth to answer but halted her voice. It was a fairly simple question, something that didn't seem to make logical sense at first, but after meeting Gohan, seemed to fit perfectly.

"We have Aura. My friend Gohan, he lacks an Aura because he doesn't originate from Remnant."

"Exactly," the man nodded. "So… where does our Aura come from?"

"The soul," Sun responded simply. "Where are you going with this?" he asked. Blake was slowly putting the pieces together in her head. She couldn't believe the conclusion she was being directed to. It was simply too incredible to even consider at first glance. She would never have guessed that something like this was even capable of being achieved! If she was correct, then this man must be…

"You're… are you the Guardian's _Aura_!?"

"Manifested Aura actually," the Guardian responded. "This is what happens when your aura evolves so far that it no longer needs a physical vessel to sustain it. When my body died, my aura… what I am now, remained indefinitely in the land of the living. Quite amazing isn't it?" he finished with a sly smile. Blake was utterly dumbfounded, as was Sun. She had never even considered what would happen if her Aura continued to grow. Although, Blake didn't quite understand what he meant by 'evolve'.

"How did this happen to you?"

"It did not happen naturally if that's what you are asking. It comes from my connection to the four Relics. The brothers that created them, bound my soul to them. They placed me in charge of keeping those weapons away from those who would misuse them. Evidently, I did not do so well with that," he chuckled, summoning more questions than answers to Blake's head. A brief look at Sun told her that he was completely lost in this conversation, so she couldn't count on him to keep up with what the man was saying.

"The Relics? What… are they supposed to do?"

"I'm surprised your headmaster never mentioned them to you. They are artifacts of infinite power. Objects capable of breaking the boundaries of reality itself! _Dangerous magic,_ " he emphasized heavily. Blake absorbed the information somberly as she chose to let the man continue. "Choice, Knowledge, Creation and lastly, Destruction. All four of them embody the things that comprise what humanity is. If someone were to have all four and weaponize them, then the results would be catastrophic for whoever was going up against them," he explained, picking up the head of the skull and placing it in his hands. Sun cringed while Blake ignored it entirely.

"That's… mildly unsettling," she muttered. "So what's your connection to them? Do you have them, or are you some kind of guide on how they work?" she questioned. The man shook his head sadly.

"Unfortunately, you are wrong on both accounts. I do not have them. The one you know as Professor Ozpin took them long ago and hid them away in different locations around the world. I cannot say I approve of his decision but he did it for the betterment of mankind. The one known as Salem seeks to gather them and weaponize them to use against mankind, a goal she is very close to achieving."

"What!? How!?" Blake yelled incredulously.

"She has been using the destruction that Cell causes as a distraction to get what she wants. With the world otherwise occupied, she has been rather successful moving around in the shadows," he stated as he absently played with the skull in his hands. "She and Ozpin have been at war for years. They have not been the first to fight over such power."

"Is there anything I can do to stop her before she claims all four of the Relics?" Blake questioned. Once again, much to her dismay, he shook his head.

"I cannot help you there, however, what I can say is that my life is tied to the Relics. Should I perish, they will become inert. The only problem is that my soul has been alive for thousands of years and although my power is diminishing, it will remain that way until the day Remnant ceases to exist… which is _closer_ than you might think."

"W-wait," Blake threw up her hands, completely stunned at how the conversation had taken a turn for the worse. "What do you mean Remnant's destruction is closer than I think? Are you able to see the future!?" Blake questioned in disbelief. Sun was about to voice his opinion on how ridiculous and outrageous that would have been, but the man scoffed and gestured to his silver-eyes.

"I possess a rare trait. My silver-eyes allow me to peak into the future. Everything I have seen has come to pass, as I've been too weak to prevent it. It is maddening knowing events will pass and nothing you can do is capable of stopping it. I have come to terms with it though," he explained sadly. "You're recently deceased friend shared the same trait, didn't she? The girl with the red cloak, she had silver-eyes."

" _Ruby…_ " Blake thought sadly. "How could you possibly- never mind," she cut herself off when the man gestured to his eyes. She had no idea how far into the future he could see, or how accurate it was. She had read briefly on the legends of the silver-eyed warriors. The Grimm feared them for their widely unique and powerful abilities. Blake didn't think the legend held much weight considering she hadn't met anyone with that trait aside from Ruby and that girl didn't show any magical abilities. She just happened to be an exceptionally talented fighter for her age.

"I was the first born with such a gift after all. Those who came after me developed strange and interesting abilities," he mused. "We were the ones capable of performing impossible feats when we learned how to harness our inner energy after all," he finished with a smirk on his face. Blake glared at him sourly, his expression reflecting that of amusement.

"You already knew I was going to ask if there were those who came before me that knew how to use their Ki. I take it the ancient legend referenced in some mythos books are real? How the monks broke out into war and shaped Remnant into what it is today?" she asked. Blake's intense gaze didn't once leave the man's eyes. He gave a hefty sigh in response.

"Monks…" the man muttered in disdain. "As if you could even call them that. They were warmongers. Power crazed lunatics. There was nothing _peaceful_ about them. Our planet was a constant battleground. We had no need to fear the Grimm. The monsters were almost driven to extinction… the real enemy was _humanity_ ," the Guardian stood up and strolled down the stairs silently, his back turned to the two student huntsmen. "It was a short time period in history, one bathed in blood… and the gods just _watched_."

"Gods?" Sun asked, clearly confused. "What do Gods have to do with this?"

"They are Gods to us. They possess power we couldn't even dream of attaining," he explained. "They called themselves 'Kais'. I could never understand why they referred themselves like that but time after time, they refused to get involved in our affairs. The brothers did not take too kindly to their blatant disregard for Remnant, so they did something that prevented any outside force from communicating with anyone on the planet."

"What exactly did they do?" Sun asked, once again completely befuddled.

"I am not quite sure. They reasoned that if the Gods wanted to watch, that's all they would do. They wouldn't influence Remnant like they had done in the past," the Guardian shrugged. "With my vast knowledge, there are still things that have eluded me. When the Brothers made that decision to block any communication from the Kai's, they created the Relics and bound my soul to them. They vanished shortly after… I assumed they died from their old age," the older man finished with a regretful tone. "I used the power to remove any trace of Ki from the planet. It was too dangerous, something I wasn't willing to let humanity learn again. Not after the bloodshed it caused."

"So you decided to bury the knowledge of Ki so nobody could find it?" Blake asked grimly. "Can't say I blame you. I don't think I'd want the world knowing about this power, especially with the kind of people we have today. What else can you tell us about these 'brothers'?" she queried. She more or less expected that kind of conclusion to the war. It was the only one that made sense. The victor writes history after all. It only makes sense the Guardian wished to remove it from the world. Ensure that it was forgotten to time.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem he was able to remove all of the knowledge because Qrow was able to dig things up about it with enough searching.

"From my knowledge, the two brothers had some kind of relation to these 'Kais'. Whether or not they were descendants or some kind of offspring is… unknown." the man recalled, disappointing Blake immensely. She had read quite a bit about these brothers. It seems their origin was a mystery even to this immortal spirit. "They possessed power that existed outside of reason, so people assumed they were of divine origin."

"Didn't these brothers create Humanity? I remember the two of them putting aside their differences and creating humanity," Sun stated. Both the Guardian and Blake turned and looked at him strangely. Sun threw up his arms in protest. "What! It was my mom's favorite story! She'd tell me the same story every night before bed!" he finished defensively. Blake just rolled her eyes.

"Anyway… I seem to recall reading the same thing."

"It's a lie."

Both huntsmen were silent. The Guardian gave them a dark look.

"Humanity wasn't created by them. We've been around longer than the two brothers, that's for sure. Believe it or not, there was an era when this planet didn't have Grimm… but that was well before my time. Then the brothers came. One created life and unlocked secrets for humanity to thrive… and the other brought ruin and the Grimm. That's all they have ever done. The rest is fabricated fairy tales."

"I see," Blake replied softly. "You mentioned something about Salem before. Who is she? I know very little about her." she asked. The moment the name left her mouth, Blake watched the Guardian's features visibly soften. A pained expression crossed his face.

"Her story is a… tragic one. Mankind has no one to blame but themselves for her creation. Believe it or not… your blonde friend, Yang Xiao Long, was not the first to break through the limits of the soul," the Guardian explained. "That groundbreaking achievement goes to Salem. The first huntress to ever evolve past their restrictions. It's… unfortunate she was the one to do this, given the nature of her semblance."

"What was it?" Sun queried. The Guardian had a rather uncomfortable expression.

"A form of mind control. She could influence people here and there. Plant suggestions and ideas in their heads. She could do it to certain kinds of Grimm as well. A majority saw her as a threat as she grew more and more powerful. Eventually, it boiled over and she was stationed for execution," the old man recalled. Sun was in utter disbelief while Blake looked ready to murder something.

"WHAT!? She was actively trying to help humanity and she was executed for it!? What _insanity_ forced that kind of judgment to occur!?" Blake all but screamed. She couldn't understand it at all. Sure there were some unconventional semblances. Rarely they worked against the person using them, but she had never met anyone like that.

"These were olden times Belladonna," the man replied gravely. "People were not so understanding back then. Not like they are today. Humanity has come a long way since those times. Human and Faunus strife is childish compared to what went on in those days. Besides with a semblance like that, anybody who interacted with her could never trust her. She tended to abuse her semblance quite often." he finished somberly.

"Jeez," Sun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can understand being punished for it, but execution? No wonder this Grimm Queen is hellbent on getting these all-powerful Relics! She wants to kill all of us!" the monkey faunus exclaimed. Blake couldn't help but agree. If she was sentenced to execution because she abused her semblance, she could slightly understand where all the hate was coming from.

"Excessive, I agree. Over the top punishments were handed out left and right in those times. Unfortunately, her execution didn't quite go as planned. In her time of need, she evolved through her own fear. Her soul changed and her semblance with it. She could manipulate with ease and she found complete and utter dominance over the Grimm. Over time, exposure to the beasts changed her into an abomination," the Guardian explained while shaking his head. "It's a shame what humanity can create when it's instilled with fear."

"How has she lived so long? Is she like you? Is her Aura like your's?" Blake asked. She got a puzzled look from the man. Even he looked confused on that.

"No… she still has a physical body. I am not quite sure how she achieved it, but like mine, it's unnatural. I would take a guess it has something to do with the Grimm, but with everything I have seen and learned in my immortal life, the nature of her continued existence is something that I haven't been able to solve." he stated in an apologetic tone. Blake merely sighed as she took a moment to process everything she had learned.

"Okay… last question," Blake said. "Do you know anything about the Maidens? Where did they come from and what exactly are they?"

"A more recent occurrence. It's very much like the fairy tale suggests. A man with incredible power gifted four young females incredible powers. They were bound to the soul and are passed down with each death of the host. It happened centuries after this body died," the Guardian chuckled as he walked back up to his throne and flicked the skeleton in the head. "I don't know who this man was. I had become less interested in the world after that."

Blake was significantly underwhelmed by his answer. She had always wondered about the Maidens. Ozpin seemed to know more than he let on. Maybe he knew more than the Guardian about this. She would have to get around to asking him when she next saw him.

"What about Cell? Do you have any ideas on how to defeat him?" Blake asked finally. The older man didn't look at her and Sun was looking more nervous than usual. The monkey boy had been uncharacteristically quiet for a while now.

"I am sorry, but I do not," he replied regretfully. "If my visions prove true, then Remnant's days are numbered. There is a chance to stop it, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you," he finished. Blake's fingers curled, her hands balling in frustration. Despite everything she had learned, she was no closer to figuring out how to beat Cell. But there had to be a way! If she could get her hands on the Relics… then maybe… just maybe she might be able to use them against the monster.

"Man… I thought this would have been a bust," Sun spoke up. "But you've been pretty helpful. Any way we could help you in return? Maybe get you to pass on or something like ghosts do?" the monkey faunus asked. The old man chuckled as he opened his mouth to retort with something light-hearted but paused. He slowly turned to Blake with a thoughtful look in his eye.

"Actually," he started. "Maybe there is something I could do to help."

"What is it?" Blake replied quickly, eager to hear the man out. He chuckled.

"I was never really that good of a Guardian anyway. The brothers just ushered me into the role without my consent. Perhaps… it's time I passed that title along, to someone much more capable than I," he retorted with a smirk. Blake's eyes widened at the implication.

"M-Me?"

"No! Of course not! Your blonde friend would fit the role far better!"

"Seriously?" Sun questioned. The Guardian laughed.

"Do neither of you know what a joke is?"

Blake rolled her eyes and suppressed the urge to groan.

"So… you're talking about me?" Blake asked again. The older man nodded. All she could do was frown in response. "I wouldn't even know what to do with that kind of responsibility. Where would I even start?"

"Do whatever you feel is right. That's the best advice I can give you. It's time I moved on anyway. Someone like you can do much more with the power I have now. I might as well give it to someone capable," he smiled. Blake still wasn't convinced.

"Then you should give it to Gohan. He's the strongest person I know."

"Bah! That boy has enough power as it is. There are heights that boy can reach that he doesn't even know exist yet. You, on the other hand, could do many things with the power I can gift you."

"I'm not so sure," Blake looked to Sun for reassurance. "I don't think I'm the one that should fill that position"

"Sure you can Blake," Sun responded cheerfully. "You're one of the strongest people I know! If anyone can do it, you can. I've seen the things you can do. Besides, if you screw up, you've got friends that can help you. It's not like you're alone!" he encouraged. Blake blushed slightly. His words of _wisdom_ were definitely cheesy but not unwarranted.

After some thought, Blake finally caved.

"Alright, fine," she stated with a scowl. At this point, the older man had given her no reason to distrust him. He seemed very friendly and forthcoming. If he was giving her an opportunity to increase her power so she could better combat Cell, then she would take it without complaints. She just couldn't help but feel a little unsure. "What do I do?"

"Nothing." the older man voiced as he walked over to her. He stood arm's length away, his body suddenly starting to glow. "I'll take things from here. I wish you the best of luck Blake Belladonna. The world's fate hangs on by a thread."

He placed a hand upon her head and closed his eyes. Soon, Blake's form started to glow with the same color as a gentle breeze started to pick up. The cat faunus stood tall, ready to face whatever was going to happen. She could feel the flow of power start to seep into her very being. After a few moments, a tsunami of energy overwhelmed her senses.

The Guardian roared as his aura and energy exploded around him. Blake struggled to stay upright as the man poured his very soul into her own. She had never experienced something like this before. Images were flashing in her head, a life not her own. Fragmented memories that didn't make sense started to form and piece themselves together inside her mind.

Sun was blown away by the immeasurable power that was being generated. A light, brighter than a solar flare engulfed the entire area, forcing Blake to shut her eyes as the Guardian's roar faded away. A final burst of energy sunk into her body as the fusion finished. Blake's eyes bulged as the wealth of knowledge the man had passed on to her became fully realized.

Blake didn't gain _all_ of his memories. Thousands of years worth of memories would have driven her mad and he had seemed to know this beforehand. Somehow, he had sorted out what knowledge to pass on to her. Everything she needed to know had been answered. Blake had no more questions and doubted she would have any about Remnant ever again.

The world's secrets were now an open book, but a few pages were still blank. Not exactly important right now. She had gotten what she had come here for.

"This power…" Blake gazed down at her hands. Her entire body was glowing, radiating a power that demanded to be unleashed. She felt invincible! Power she could have only dreamed of attaining was now within her grasp. Suddenly, Cell didn't seem like such an impossible bar to topple. With this power… she might be able to stand a chance against him!

" _Outstanding!_ " she thought, her mood ecstatic.

"Blake…?" Sun voice as he pushed himself to his feet. His eyes were in awe of her power, visibly rolling off her in waves. She turned, her amber eyes softening as she smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm still me," she replied in a reassuring manner. "Besides… now? I feel like I can defy fate _itself_."

=/=

* * *

=/=

The celebrity huntress of Mistral found herself sharing a concrete cell with a terrorist.

If someone had told her that this would have happened to her a couple of months ago, she'd probably laugh, or give that strange person a questionable gaze. However, here she was, pacing back and forth in the small area she had been confined to. It had only been a few hours and she had already started to wear marks into the floor from her constant movement. She had tried to get the attention of a few guards but they openly ignored her, which seemed bizarre. After constantly trying to talk to anyone that would hear her out, only to end up failing, she opted to think a way out of this situation without them being branded terrorists for the rest of their lives.

Politics was complicated and once an idea was ingrained into people's minds, it became very difficult to remove it. Case and point, the faunus and the White Fang. If they were to break out, they would be seen as criminals, trying to evade justice.

" _As if we aren't already,_ " Pyrrha thought, irritation clouding her thoughts.

She knew Doctor Watts held a lot of power in Mistral's council because he was close to Professor Lionheart. The man held a lot of respect and sway over this Kingdom. If he was in leagues with Salem like Cinder had said, then this Kingdom was bound to crumble under corruption. She never really liked him anyway. He always seemed to have that uncaring tone to his voice, whenever she happened to be around the man. All she knew about the man was that he had lien, power, and intellect to back it up. He was a scientist from Atlas that had left for reasons unknown to her.

"Just give it a rest."

Cinder's bored voice drew Pyrrha to the woman's prone form on the bed in the corner of the cell. The power-obsessed girl was simply lying back on the bed, staring at the ceiling absently while she drew circles in the air with her maiden powers. Small trails of fire followed her fingers, forming small rings. Pyrrha couldn't help but notice that Cinder seemed completely indifferent about the situation. Strangely enough, she wasn't displaying any anger or annoyance in the situation. She was unnaturally uncaring about the predicament they were in.

"You seem content with our situation." Pyrrha retorted back bitterly. Cinder shrugged, deciding not to give a vocal response. Pyrrha hid her frustration well, but some part of her thought that Cinder was just messing with her. They could easily break out but that was just the easy option. There had to be a way to get out of this without making them look like terrorists. This whole situation was just ridiculous!

"Oh yeah, for sure," the Red Queen replied sarcastically. "Lying in this cell is exactly where I want to be. There isn't really any other place I'd rather be right now. Na… can't think of-"

"Okay," Pyrrha cut off tiredly. "I get it. You don't need to drone on about it. I just can't understand how Doctor Watts is able to get away with placing us in prison without a fair trial," she finished. Cinder sighed as she pushed herself to a sitting position, brushing her raven locks out of her eyes as she did so. Pyrrha had since given up pacing and now found a comfortable spot leaning against the wall next to the entrance to their cell.

"Doctor Watts has Mistral wrapped around his finger princess," Cinder explained. "Salem recruited him because of his charisma and ability to influence important figures currently in power. He's a snake. With him pulling the strings, we won't be seeing the light of day unless we decide to break out. It's pretty obvious what his goal is. He _wants_ us to break out. That way, the people of Mistral will see us as unstoppable terrorists who are just as bad as Cell. Despite your best efforts to stop him in Vale, the people of Mistral don't know that. Word will spread, and people like us will be ostracized and feared," the woman finished. The greek-themed warrior took a few moments to consider these words. She still couldn't believe that without Cell in the picture, there was still another being hiding in the shadows.

Meanwhile, she had been worried about fitting in and making friends back at Beacon. There were machinations and plans to destroy the world behind the scenes. It wasn't fair. She just wanted to live a normal life!

"The doctor also has a talent robotics and engineering, but Salem wasn't exactly that concerned about it," Cinder added as she brushed the back of her neck absently. "It's no surprise he managed to create a weapon capable of ignoring a person's aura and attacking them directly. I got careless, distracted by arguing with you and fighting those stupid guards."

"He poisoned you," Pyrrha noted, remembering how Cinder had been incapacitated. "I had been wondering how it had ignored your aura."

"He's resourceful and incredibly crafty. He often compared himself to Doctor Polendina. He liked to brag that he was better, but I never had the patience nor cared to listen to his words. I wasn't aware he was going to be my enemy in the future."

The two were silent for a bit after that. Time started to fly on by and minutes turned into hours. The two just sat or lay around in silence, seeing as there wasn't much to talk about. Cinder had no problem with this because she knew the moment she had enough of this place, she could break out, attack Watts and return him to Raven. However, Pyrrha was stopping that from happening because of her bleeding heart for justice and doing the right thing. She didn't want innocent people to get hurt in the process, which would certainly happen with Cinder's ruthless approach to the subject.

"How are you not angry, or annoyed that we are in this situation?" Pyrrha questioned once again. This time, a smirk broke across Cinder's face. Pyrrha immediately frowned upon seeing the amusement on her acquaintance's face.

"I just find it amusing how someone so revered as you, is being dragged down because we just so happened to be together. I'm a criminal and just because you even dared to share the same table as me, you're taken down with me because it looks like you're conspiring with terrorists. I'm not sure why but I just find it hilarious. Pyrrha Nikos and Cinder Fall, don't we make a fantastic team?" Cinder mocked a little, her sultry voice seeping through. Pyrrha rolled her eyes, finally having gotten used to the woman's taunts. Constant exposure to this sadistic woman had desensitized her to most of what came out of her mouth.

"What I don't understand is how the people of Mistral know you're a criminal. I only know because I learned that Mercury and Emerald were actively trying to sabotage the tournament! How could anyone else possibly know that?" Pyrrha gestured to the hallway outside their cell as another guard passed by, pretending as if they didn't exist at all. It bothered the redhead that they didn't pay her any attention or mind. She was this Kingdom's greatest prodigal huntress, yet now these guards didn't even look at her! How deep did this corruption run?

"We're criminals," Cinder laughed. "You could be the Kingdom's greatest hero and they'd still ignore you. You'd be surprised what people are willing to do get a bigger paycheck," she smirked as she eyed the passing guards. The redhead didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to believe that people did that just for a bigger sum of lien. "We won't be leaving any time soon, so unless you are willing to put aside your ridiculous righteous morals, we might as well get comfortable," Cinder finished with a snide tone.

"We can't just stay here!" Pyrrha responded desperately.

"We could… you know… break out," Cinder suggested boredly. Pyrrha rounded on her, a conflicted look in her green eyes.

"I will _not_ have us painted as international criminals!" she exclaimed hotly. Cinder growled, Pyrrha's stubbornness finally pushing her a little too far.

" _You_ don't want to painted as an international criminal. I care not of what people think of me. _Power_ is the only thing that has ever mattered to me," the Red Queen responded coldly. Pyrrha merely narrowed her eyes. Emerald green met molten amber. It was a moment of complete silence, and in the darkness of the cell, they started to learn more about each other than they ever would have before.

"You can't possibly mean that…" Pyrrha said softly.

"Of course I do. I would kill for the kind of power Cell possesses," Cinder stated. Pyrrha's features darkened.

"Cell is a ruthless killing machine! He doesn't care about anyone but himself! He would butcher thousands of innocent people to get power. Are you saying you would do the same!?" Pyrrha shouted incredulously. The Red Queen's features softened as she thought on those words, hesitating with her answer. Yes, she would kill people for power. She had no qualms killing Amber for the maiden powers. Would she really murder groups of innocent people if it was demanded of her?

"Think very carefully about how you answer that question," Pyrrha's hands tightened. Her whole body started to sweat and shake with fear. She wanted to know the answer to that question. If Cinder desired power so obsessively…

Then she would end Cinder's life.

She would _**not**_ risk another monster like Cell running around.

Pyrrha would never forget the day she had met Cell. What it had done to Yang and Blake had been sickening. She had been paralyzed with fear throughout most of that fight, while Gohan and Qrow took charge. She hadn't been ready to confront such a bloodthirsty monster. Up until that moment in her life, she had been preparing herself to follow a destiny laid out for her. To become the best huntress she could and fight the Grimm just like thousands before her. She had been gifted with incredible talents and skill beyond that of any huntsmen her age. She was going to use that gift to its maximum potential.

But that day?

Her talent and skill hadn't meant _anything_!

If Cinder was aiming to take that power for herself...

Pyrrha would put aside her forgiving nature and end her life here and now.

The sheer possibility of letting another person like Cell live almost drove Pyrrha mad and for a moment, Cinder briefly saw that desperate madness in her emerald eyes. It scared the raven-haired woman to the point where she unconsciously took a step back from the redhead.

"You… look like you want to kill me," Cinder commented. A look of uncertainty started to pool in her eyes. Just watching the girl in front of her react to her words was actually chilling. Pyrrha looked about ready to kill something, and the only thing in proximity to the girl was her. As much as Cinder prided herself on being able to ignore fear, the girl in front of her brought out a wave of it from within her.

"Depending on how you answer that question, I just might," Pyrrha growled. Cinder actually recoiled slightly from the tone. Those words sounded like a promise. It sounded like something she wouldn't go back on as well. How was she supposed to answer this question? The redhead looked about ready to snap her neck, and Cinder knew she wasn't at the level of Pyrrha's power yet. Maiden or not, Pyrrha had control over a very different power.

"I…" Pyrrha's hands tightened. Cinder swallowed, her heartbeat accelerating. "I wouldn't go out of my way to kill innocents. I just want power and those who wish to stand in my way will pay the price. That is how I work. It's how I've _always_ worked," the ravenette explained. Pyrrha's stone cold gaze remained unwavering, her body remaining tense. Cinder wasn't going to lie and if she was going to die, she wasn't going to go quietly.

"Then you _better_ change," Pyrrha hissed. Cinder narrowed her eyes.

"Why should I?"

"Because you will die _alone_ if you do not. I would never stand beside someone with such selfish desires," the redhead snapped. In stark contrast to how she felt moments prior, Cinder laughed. It was honestly amusing to her. Where did this girl get off thinking that she knew more than her? The burning desire to put Pyrrha in her place was throbbing more as the conversation went on, but Cinder knew the girl had more than enough power to defy her.

"Who said I wanted to stand beside _you_?" Cinder questioned, her fury and rage starting to bubble inside of her. A light orange glow started to encompass her skin.

"Then _nobody_ will. You will get want you want in the end, Cinder. People will respect you out of fear and hatred. Everyone will look at you like you're some kind of monster. Your death will be celebrated. People will hold festivals on the anniversary of your -"

"SHUT UP!"

Her voice echoed off the cold walls of the cell. Pyrrha let herself relax as a few tears rolled down Cinder's cheeks. The Red Queen's hands were shaking violently and the heat rolling off the girl's body was immense. Her amber eyes started to glow viciously, her maiden powers boiling to the surface. Her emotions had been pushed into overdrive. The girl looked like she was about to split and crack.

"What do you _know_?" she hissed. Pyrrha remained completely still. "You don't know _anything_ about me! Why do you insist that I turn over a new leaf and help _you_!? My whole life, I've strived for greatness. I wanted to be _strong_. I _wanted_ to be _feared_. I _wanted_ to be _powerful_! Weakness was a liability and I was looked down upon for it! I wanted to show the world that I _wasn't_ scared to fight back!" the woman screamed. Pyrrha's eyes remained locked with Cinder's amber orbs. The redhead refused to look surprised. She had finally cracked Cinder's facade and the last thing she wanted to do was back away now.

"Whatever it threw at me, I _swore_ , I'd hit back _harder_. I was born a _failure_! You…!" Cinder hissed as she stepped forward, getting into the greek-themed girl's face. " _You_ were born with talent! Love, compassion! You _have_ everything that I couldn't _possibly_ dream of having! _Pyrrha Nikos_ , the _invincible_ girl. You were _destined_ for success-" Cinder was cut off as Pyrrha's hand slapped her across the face. The ravenette stumbled back a little at the weight of the blow.

"You think I wanted _any_ of that!? I had _no_ friends! I was a social outcast! People hated me because of my fame and strength! People were jealous of my skills and talents and every chance they got, they would _use_ me to get what they wanted! Anybody who I faced in battle who knew they couldn't defeat me, tried to _exploit_ every weakness they knew I had so that they could!" Pyrrha stepped forward, closing the gap between the two.

"If I had the opportunity to be _normal_ , I would have taken it a _long_ time ago," Pyrrha finished. Cinder wiped her mouth, glaring at the redheaded girl.

"Pretentious _little_ girl," she hissed. Pyrrha twitched. Cinder's fingers shook, and she wasn't quite sure why, but the adrenaline started to pump through her body. Seeing Pyrrha tremble like that was extraordinarily satisfying to see. How far would it take to push her over the edge? Lucky for Cinder, she was an expert at pushing people's buttons and Pyrrha was an easy target.

An evil glint flashed in her molten amber eyes.

"You know," Cinder started with a smirk. "That blonde boy you hang out with is pretty handsome," Pyrrha's body went rigid. "I wonder how good he is in bed? He looks prettyfit… I might take him for a spin when we get back-" Cinder's body jerked as she collided with the back of the cell. The concrete on the wall cracked and almost folded under the force. Pyrrha's hands were clenched tightly around the top of Cinder's dress.

"You go _near_ Jaune, and I _will_ make you regret the day you were even _born_ ," the venom that dripped from Pyrrha's voice was tangible. The lips on the Red Queen's mouth curved. This girl was so strong, but… so incredibly _easy_ to toy with. Her emotions were all over the place, and Cinder could see those emerald green eyes swimming in an ocean of isolation.

"I'm going to make him scream my name when he-" her voice was cut off abruptly as a pained gasp exited her throat.

It happened so quickly. The feeling of falling as the firm grip of gravity pulled her towards the ground. Pyrrha had reared back and slammed her leg into Cinder's torso with such force that the back of the cell shattered under the immense strain. The Red Queen's body was sent flying through the back wall and descended like a meteor towards the streets of Mistral. She could hear the whispers of screams tickle her ears as she plummeted towards the ground. Despite the pain, her lips curled in satisfaction.

Who knew the great Pyrrha Nikos felt so strongly for Jaune Arc?

Cinder's body slammed into the pavement, the impact shaking all the surrounding buildings and shattering all windows in the area. She immediately regained her senses in time to see an angry red blur shoot out of the hole in the side of the prison, and speed towards her. The ravenette leapt to her feet and jumped away just in time to avoid Pyrrha colliding with the ground. Her outstretched fist had deepened the crater that Cinder's landing had already created.

"Careful~" Cinder sung with a smug tone. "Wouldn't want your precious _boyfriend_ to know that-" she was once again cut off as Pyrrha shot forwards and tackled her, dragging them both through multiple buildings. Pyrrha's reason was suddenly lost in the midst of rage and frustration. The good-natured girl had been suppressed, and the woman who desired nothing more than to clear every obstacle in her path had awoken. Perhaps all the taunting had finally broken the girl and she just wanted Cinder dead to put her mind at ease. It certainly wouldn't surprise the ember maiden. Even she had to admit, she had been more cynical and obnoxious than usual. She just kept pushing until finally she hit the right note and her redheaded acquaintance had snapped.

Cinder regained her bearings and countered, ripping herself from Pyrrha's iron grip. Cinder flipped in the air, watching as the red-headed girl was sent tumbling from her own uncontrollable speed. She was quick to pick herself up from the ground, energy blasts already charging up in her hands. Cinder sensed the amount of power being channeled and used her own knowledge to summon her own.

Both girls screamed as the energy erupted from their hands, racing forwards to consume one another. The two attacks collided. Cinder only managed to match Pyrrha's raw power, due to her own supernatural and mysterious powers. The Maidens raw, mystical force provided her with enough power and energy to match Pyrrha's unrivaled skill in the art. She still had a lot to learn when it came to this power, but she was learning quickly, and the redhead's teachings were helping.

"Thanks for showing me the ropes on this power, _Nikos_ ," Cinder hissed as she pushed more power into her attack. The girth of the energy expanded, pushing back Pyrrha's energy wave. Their surroundings were starting to break and crumble under the pressure. The buildings around them seemed to disintegrate and fall apart, floating into the blast, as if feeding the wild beast. Red clashed against orange as the two energies struggled for dominance.

Cinder knew Pyrrha had an immeasurable amount more energy than her so she had no choice but to compensate by pushing her Maiden powers to their limits. Pyrrha had more training after all. That boy… Gohan. He had been the one to train her, so it was clearly obvious she was outmatched here. Even if Pyrrha was more skilled in using her energy, the raw output of power Cinder was exerting was more than enough to challenge the redhead.

The failed criminal knew from experience that the Maiden powers only worked for so long. It had a _terrible_ weakness. Overuse of the power left one horribly exposed and weakened to any attack. The body became susceptible to damage, and death was likely next on the list. It was likely that she would lose this battle. She would survive if she was lucky, but then again, what else did she have left to live for?

Her dream to become the strongest had been trampled and buried beneath those colossal titans that were Gohan and Cell. Two beings that could be hailed as _Gods_ were playing the game now, and all the hopes and dreams she had once had, burned on the day Vale had fallen. She had seen what they were capable of, and she wasn't even sure that she would come close to achieving that kind of power.

Cinder suddenly found herself weighed down. She looked up to see that various metals were pressing down on her back. She was losing ground by the second! Pyrrha had one of her hands extended and was using the debris from their battle as a weapon! Cinder had to give credit where it was due. Pyrrha was a smart girl and especially cunning when it came to combat. She was very quick at adapting to situations that did not favor her, so it came as no surprise to Cinder when her energy started to falter to her superior opponent.

" _Damn-it!_ " she collapsed, her energy giving out. Pyrrha's attack butchered Cinder's energy, tearing right through it and slamming into the girl head on. The attack exploded on impact, sending the Red Queen tumbling down the street they were fighting on. Her body landed, sliding down the dirt road, ripping her red dress to mere shreds. Cinder's aura broke, a bitter smile gracing her face.

She sat up, examining her body and the injuries she had sustained. She had blood dripping from her mouth, and one of her eyes was clenched shut. Her silk, black hair was caked with dirt and grime. She was a mess… but she was _a long way_ from being finished. Every fight now… was a fight to the death. Her purpose in life was strength. Never again would she yield to anyone.

"I would say I'm sorry," Pyrrha walked over and stood mere feet from her. She wore the most distasteful frown Cinder had ever seen. It was almost like it disgusted the girl to even look at her. "But I'm not sure you deserve it," the redhead finished. Cinder laughed as a twitch from her fingers summoned her favored swords behind the greek themed warrior. Lucky for her, Pyrrha didn't seem to notice at all.

"You'd be right," her voice gleamed danger and before Pyrrha even knew what happened, she felt glass swords pierce her back. She screamed in agony as she fell to her knees, her arms attempting to reach behind her to pull out the impaled blades. She had been lucky that her aura stopped the swords from completely running her through. Her fruitless efforts to remove the blades proved to be the perfect opportunity for Cinder to return to her feet. In her pain, she scolded herself for dropping her guard so carelessly.

It was something Gohan had preached to her.

" _Never let your guard down. Not even for a moment, because one second… and it can all be over!_ " his words bounced around her chaotic mind. The menacing laugh from Cinder fell on her ears as the girl jumped to her feet and delivered a jaw-breaking kick to Pyrrha's face. The Amazon warrior was sent spiraling in the opposite direction, the glass swords in her back disappearing as she glided helplessly through the air. Pyrrha slammed into the wall of a nearby building and slid down to the ground.

She barely had time to register the strange searing heat, as a torrent of flame thundered her way like a freight train.

She held up her hands in defense as the attack slammed into her, engulfing her entire form.

"What's the matter?! Done already!?" Cinder screamed over the sound of the inferno. It continued for a few moments before the blissful sound of an agonized scream reached Cinder's ears. However, it was accompanied by a suffocating power increase as a wild red aura exploded around the redhead's downed form. Pyrrha dispelled Cinder's attack, forcing the woman to take a few steps back. Cinder admired the damage she had done with a satisfied smirk.

" _Not so invincible now, are you?"_

Pyrrha's iconic golden armor had _melted_ , and her skin was bright red. Various bits of clothing hung to her body, but it seemed her energy had protected her. She was breathing heavily as her aura fluctuated dangerously. It seemed that the Maiden powers definitely _could_ do more damage when mixed with energy attacks. They were more potent, and clearly more effective against people. Pyrrha had only managed to escape because of her exceedingly high power. However, Cinder wasn't done. She charged up energy in her hands, mixing it with her magical power of the Fall Maiden. Like a machine gun, she shot them off towards her target.

The blasts collided with Pyrrha, causing a smoke cloud to cover the entire area around Pyrrha. Cinder roared with laughter as she continued to fire, feeling each impact of the blasts she sent Pyrrha's way. This was her power, used to its maximum potential! It was more than Cinder could have ever hoped for! Screw the full powers of the Fall Maiden, she needed to train this power and grow stronger with this! The amount of destruction she could cause would be astronomical!

A familiar blast was shot back at Cinder from the smoke, scorching her left shoulder. Her eyes widened when she realized it was her _own_ energy that hit her. She waited for the smoke to clear, only to see that a fair portion of the blasts she had sent towards Pyrrha had stopped in mid-air. The ex-Beacon student was glowing, but not with any normal energy. Cinder couldn't get a read on it, but when Pyrrha opened her eyes, her normal emerald orbs were now neon blue. A similar color coated her body like a second skin. Without a sign of movement, the energy blasts that had been halted in mid-air were sent back to its maker.

Cinder took the full brunt of her own attack.

As she was recovering from the brutal counter, Pyrrha observed her own state of being, noting the strange changes that had occurred to her form. Her semblance felt more active than ever before. She could _feel_ and control the energy in the air. It was almost like her polarity had evolved into something further. Cinder's energy, the moment it left her body felt like clay. Pyrrha could take control of it and mold it into something else of her own making.

There was some difficulty overwhelming Cinder's control of her own attacks, but she had managed to do it. It probably wouldn't work against the likes of Gohan or Cell, but with enough practice and training, perhaps that could change. She could only do it to Cinder because the woman was still quite inexperienced with the way she handled her energy. It had been rather easy to override her control.

"What did you just do!?" Cinder barked as she got to her feet, ready for round two. Pyrrha stood tall, confident and determined. She refused to answer the power-hungry girl. "If you won't tell me, then I'll beat the answers out of you!"

Combining her Maiden powers with her inner energy, Cinder shot forward at impressive speeds to engage Pyrrha head on. The prodigy huntress's eyes widened as she read and anticipated Cinder's movements. Moving out of the way before Cinder even had the chance to attack, threw the ember-maiden for a loop. Cinder felt like she was attacking a ghost with how fast and precise Pyrrha was moving and dodging her attacks. Cinder tried to fire off a quick energy blast in the hopes she would catch Pyrrha off-guard, but much to her utter dismay, the redhead narrowed her eyes and the blast she had been charging exploded in her hand.

Cinder screamed as she stumbled backwards, clutching her smoking hand in agony. Before she could regain her balance, Pyrrha flashed forward, embedding her heel in Cinder's mid-section. As the woman was sent barreling away, the evolved, glowing huntress roared as she fired off a blue energy wave. It had come almost instinctively, the redhead surprising herself that she had managed to pull off the attack in the first place. The wave engulfed Cinder whole, shredding the remnants of her energy and once again ruining her iconic dress.

Pyrrha flexed her hands as she let them drop to her side. It was the first time she had ever really used the Kamehameha wave like that. Gohan had taught them all the very basics of it before they had left the Lookout to go their separate ways. Both she and Blake couldn't get the technique down, but it seemed here that Pyrrha had managed to pull off a very weak version of it. She was surprised it had done as much damage to Cinder at all. Pyrrha momentarily couldn't fathom the kind of damage it could do if she properly mastered the technique.

" _I see… that's how the technique is supposed to work,_ " Pyrrha thought to herself as she clenched her fists, before letting them relax moments after. It was a strange feeling letting such a powerful attack explode out of her hands. It was a large drain on her energy, something she would have to use sparingly. She turned her gaze towards Cinder, who found herself inside a smoking crater in an evacuated section of the Kingdom. People had long since run away screaming when the fighting started. Pyrrha strolled over to the defeated huntress to examine the extent of the damage.

When Pyrrha arrived, Cinder glared at the woman in avid shock.

"You were trying to kill me," Cinder accused. Pyrrha wasn't going to deny it.

"I might have lost a _bit_ of sense during that battle," she swallowed in shame. It wasn't her nature to kill people, and she felt sick for even trying to do so, no matter how bad the person was. Cinder had gotten under her skin. She loved Jaune, and anything that threatened his safety would pay the price. But… perhaps that price was too high in her books. She should have realized what Cinder had been trying to do. Taunt her enough until she lost her temper and broke them both out of prison.

The Red Queen fell back on her backside as she tried to stand up. Once again, she was exhausted. Her energy was spent. She could no longer fight, and from the looks of it, Pyrrha was also riding in that same boat. The redhead had also fallen on her backside. The two were about ten meters away from each other, sitting, glaring at each other. Silence hung in the air as a breeze blew through the abandoned section of Mistral they currently occupied.

Both of them were hardly clothed. Their garments had been either burned off or mostly destroyed.

Cinder started laughing, despite the extent of her injuries.

"What are you laughing about?" Pyrrha groaned. Cinder tilted her head back and gazed at the sky.

"We have all this power and all we do is _throw_ it at each other," she exhaled and closed her eyes as the sun appeared from behind the clouds and hit her face in a majestic fashion. "I think I've truly lost my mind. I wanted power… but now I can't really even remember the reason why I wanted it in the first place," she lamented. She knew it had something to do with her past and the weakness she had suffered from but the longer she walked down this path, the more she lost sight of why she had set out to attain it to begin with.

"You said you didn't want to be weak. That you were tired and angry of being looked down upon."

"Look where that anger got me," Cinder replied softly. "No matter how hard I tried, it all seems to end with the same result. There always seems to be someone I can't beat… a bar I can't seem to reach. It feels like a cruel joke," she finished. The Red Queen laughed bitterly as she sat upright, meeting Pyrrha's eyes. "I could really use a hot bath right about now…"

"Sounds like you _have_ lost your mind," A weak smile graced the redhead's features.

"Spending time with you must have pushed me over the edge."

"Oh come on! Even now? Can't we just move on now? I'm sick of fighting and the petty comments! Can't we just… be friends?" Pyrrha chastised. She felt sick, seeing as she had just tried to kill the woman in front of her. Regardless of what the woman was trying to do, Pyrrha knew she was better than that. She didn't kill people, no matter what they had done. She was supposed to be a good person, and good people didn't kill others.

Cinder opened her mouth to respond but was cut off as a horde of voices echoed from behind her.

"There they are!"

"Arrest them at once!"

"Terrorists!"

Cinder rolled her eyes.

"Oh joy…" she was too tired to even react. Being arrested again was going to be troublesome, and even with her mind at a strange sense of ease, it didn't really matter to her. She'd just break out again when she had the strength to do so. She wasn't going to let any prison keep her down. She was too proud for that. However, it seemed that her concerns weren't needed.

A much larger power entered the fray.

"What… is that?" Pyrrha muttered.

White rose petals.

They drifted over the oncoming soldiers of Mistral. Then, in an instant, a flow of crimson erupted from every single soldier, painting the surroundings in a horrible thick layer of blood. Their agonized screams haunted the Kingdom of Mistral and echoed throughout the lands. Piles of bodies lay scattered through the street only about a hundred meters from where Cinder and Pyrrha were sitting.

" _Oh no_ ," Ice cold fear covered Cinder's heart. A figure in a white cloak appeared amidst the carnage. Her ghostly white skin was blinding. She had black, ugly veins running up the side of her face towards her _very_ silver eyes. She had an emotionless expression on her face as she stalked towards the exhausted young girls. At first glance, Cinder thought it was Salem, but she couldn't have been more wrong.

Cinder instinctively crawled backwards until she was sitting next to Pyrrha.

"We have to run," Cinder's voice was unnaturally rasping and filled with terror. Pyrrha could understand why. The woman who was currently walking towards them had _monstrous_ power inside of her, and not only that, but it was twisted and wrong. While nowhere near as strong as Cell's, it was just as cold and dark as his. Who, or _what_ was this person, and why was it walking towards them!?

"Who is that!?" Pyrrha whispered in fear. Cinder's entire body was trembling. It wasn't until the woman in the white cloak vanished from sight and appeared instantly a few feet in front of them. She looked down at them with cold, _dead_ eyes. Void of any emotion. Black electricity crackled to life in her hands. Before Cinder had a chance to say anything, the woman's hand shot forward.

"NO!" Pyrrha screamed. Cinder closed her eyes and waited for the pain.

But it never came.

"It can't be…" she heard Pyrrha's voice murmur in disbelief. When she cracked open her eyes, standing in front of her was a large tall figure with long silver hair. He wore a black suit with a green scarf. Held tightly in his grip were the woman's hand and a familiar looking cane. Her eyes widened. This man could only be…

"Professor Ozpin!?" Pyrrha exclaimed. His eyes merely narrowed, ignoring the words of his former student, and focusing on the attacker in front of him. She was the reason why he was here after all. He had been searching for so long… tracking her movements. He wasn't going to let her escape this time… not after he had let her slip back at the Fall of Beacon.

"Summer Rose… I would say this is a pleasure, but unfortunately…" his power exploded around him. His wild green aura flaring viciously, forcing the woman to jump back in retreat, a fierce scowl on her face.

"We both know that isn't the case."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I just keep on going, don't I? The second arc should come to a close in Chapter 20, so we are almost there. Next chapter should be wrapping up everyone's side-development stories before we move onto the third and final arc. This story should break 400k which is almost mind-blowing to me, but probably won't go past it that far. So get excited for the final stretch! I know I am.  
**

 **So with Ruby, she has gone through quite a lot of changes off-screen. She's become extraordinarily powerful training under Goku and Piccolo, and learned the Kaioken… amongst other things. She is still nowhere close to being able to challenge Cell how he is now, but things might be different later down the line. I'm trying to shape up Ruby into a more interesting character. I know she's the titular character of the show, so I'm trying to do her justice, despite her being a relatively minor character in the wide spectrum of the story.  
**

 **Blake is… wow. You guys have no idea how difficult it was to fix what was previously the Guardian scene. There was so much I hated about it, that I straight up scrapped the original scene and replaced it with this one. I've kept the deleted scene on another document and it will be available for viewing if you are a part of the Discord server. So now she has sort of fused with an ancient spirit! Received a big power up and some nice additional bonuses that she isn't quite aware of yet. You'll get to see what her semblance evolved is later, so stay tuned for that!**

 **Finally, Pyrrha and Cinder. So if it isn't already obvious after this chapter, Cinder is now on track to reforming. Sorry if you despise her character from canon. Miles and Kerry do a wonderful job of making you hate her. She is irredeemable in the show, but not here. I have tried to give her a more human/relatable side to her. Cinder has always been an intriguing character to me, as well as being a colossal waste of potential. In the show, she has no redeeming qualities about her and has a really weak motivation. I tried to make her seem more human in my interpretation, so let me know how I did on that. If you still don't like her, sorry, but essentially, she is the Vegeta of the RWBY cast to me. At least for this story.  
**

 **Pyrrha got an upgrade! Her semblance evolved was a tricky one to come up with because I always try and think what a better version of their current semblance would be. Eventually, I landed on this and my editors seemed to agree with me. NO, she does not have Ultra Instinct. That would be silly. She has a similar aura to it though, which is all I can really say. Essentially, she can read energy patterns and predict how an enemy is going to attack, while also taking control of energy which is not her own. However, she cannot take control of energy from stronger opponents, like Cell. She would need the power to back it up.**

 **I think that's all for now. Any questions you have I'll try my best to answer unless they spoil future scenes, in which case I won't.  
**

 **Next update will be Pride of Four.**

 **NEW DISCORD LINK: : / / dis c ord . g g /qakCBVm**

 **Until Next time.**


	19. Buried Regret

**A/N:**

 **Heyo! I know I promised to update to update Pride of Four before this story but that story hit a huge roadblock. I am unhappy with its current direction, so before I jump into Volume One, I'm rethinking the story arcs that will be happening throughout the story. It's very lighthearted and fun at the moment and I kind of want there to be more serious conflict, much like this story. So I'll be putting that story on hold for now. I've been writing this story a lot and getting really close to the ending with what I have in my pre-writing.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Put a lot of work into it and it's been a long time coming, wrapping up plot points from way back in chapter three and four.**

 **Doomguy914: I busted my ass editing all of this and future chapters so I'm hoping there aren't a lot of errors. Enjoy the read! I know I did! My second favorite non-DBZ character gets a brief moment to shine this chapter!**

* * *

 _Chapter Nineteen: Buried Regret_

Limping back into camp, both Yang and Raven supported each other while Qrow strolled behind them in a more relaxed and protective manner.

Before they confronted everyone, Raven practically pleaded her daughter to take them to her quarters so they could both get changed out of their destroyed clothes and into something fresh. Yang wasn't much for modesty after having trained with Gohan so much. It was a weakness in battle and clothes were bound to get destroyed when you were running low on energy. For Yang, she had been holding back intentionally when she and her mother fought, so it was only natural that her current state of dress was in dire need of repair.

Thankfully, Qrow had offered to go find Yang a change of clothes, something she appreciated immensely. Conveniently, the town Raven's bandits occupied sold separate parts of her old preferred outfit. She didn't complain in the slightest. She always liked her old clothes from back at Beacon. It was nice to have her old style back on again.

After both mother and daughter changed into a fresh set of clothes, they set out to confront Gohan and the others.

Jaune, Nora, and Ren had assisted in setting up a perimeter around the town to protect from the small horde of Grimm that had been attracted there by the negative emotions. Any Grimm that got past the barrier was quickly dispatched by either Gohan or Sixteen. The moment Raven caught sight of the boy, she quickly averted her eyes before anyone could notice. She wasn't exactly sure how she should be feeling considering her actions in the past had caused so much of this conflict.

It seemed that Qrow was already suspecting her involvement, and it was only a matter of time before he asked the obvious question, one that she was dreading to answer. Looking around, there wasn't much of her tribe left, and it seemed that moving to this town had cost them many lives. She had hoped activating the other androids would prove to help people survive, but it had been too early, and only Sixteen had been reprogrammed properly. She had lost so many people when the circus clown android had fled.

"You two are looking rather friendly," Gohan commented with curious suspicion. Yang rolled her eyes as she strolled over to a nearby stack of boxes and deposited Raven there. The older huntsman sat down and examined the injuries that still had yet to heal. A brief glance at her daughter sent waves of jealousy through her body. The blonde had already recovered and looked clean of most of her wounds. It was yet another reminder that her spawn had surpassed her. The power of life energy was truly marvelous. If only she understood the concepts a little more.

"I kicked her ass. I wasn't trying to kill her," Yang retorted playfully. The response earned a flinch out of the older woman, which wasn't unnoticed by her pretentious younger brother. Every little bit of weakness she had, Qrow mocked her for and she never knew exactly how to respond to his crude sense of humor. It was lost on her, and most of the time she tended to react violently. It was her temper, and her pride screaming at her to teach him a lesson. Maybe it was because she was the older sister that she felt these desires to put him in his place every time he stepped out of line.

"Oh," Qrow drawled with a smirk. "I bet that stings, doesn't it?" he laughed under his breath. Raven's hands tightened as the group made their way over towards her. Sixteen made his way to her side and leaned on a wall to her left in a protective manner. She had to commend the android on its analysis of her fighting style. Her left side was her weakest side after all. The technology truly was beyond their comprehension.

"Go drown yourself in that toxic substance already," Raven snarked back. Qrow merely chuckled before he took out a flask and took a quick swig of it. With each swallow, her ire grew. She knew at that point he was making fun of her, and that's all he ever did back at Beacon. In front of Taiyang and Summer. He would always make a fool of himself and embarrass her. It was mortifying to be related to this fool, but she loved him nonetheless. He chuckled as he put the cap back on and pocketed it.

"If I could I would Rav. I've been drinking this stuff for years. I think I've become resistant to it, to be honest."

"Where's Pyrrha?" Gohan asked suddenly, drawing all of the attention off Raven and towards himself. He turned to Jaune and the rest of the redhead's team. "Last I heard from her, she was making sure you guys had safe passage to Mistral while all the transports were down. I haven't seen her around," he finished. Jaune merely sighed, turning his head to gaze at Raven. The disdain in his eyes was clear. Raven couldn't fault him for the distaste he and the rest of his team felt for her. She had sent Pyrrha off with Cinder and kept them as prisoners.

"Pyrrha went off to complete a task with the same woman responsible for trying to bring down Vale. We're her prisoners, and she used us against Pyrrha," Jaune scowled. Everyone noted the loathing in his voice. It was not only directed at Raven, but also at himself. Nora and Ren shared similar expressions. The fact they were too weak to defend themselves against these new threats rendered them helpless. They clearly hated the fact that they were used as leverage against Pyrrha.

"I sent her to Mistral with a new recruit of mine. They were to apprehend Doctor Watts and bring him back here for interrogation," Raven explained, cutting in to quickly explain her side of the story before anyone went and made any crazy accusations. The way the boy spoke, it was as if she had sent them to die. She had no intention of getting those two killed, seeing as they were perfect warriors to add to her growing circle of strength.

"What would you want with a political figure?" Qrow asked strangely. Raven merely sighed as she crossed her legs. Her brother had become much more demanding of her since she had left Team Stark. He had become jaded, bitter and loved to throw around accusations. Even now as he looked at her, she could see the distrust and the curiosity in his eyes. He was always loyal to Ozpin, and he always would be.

"My sources tell me he is an associate of Salem," Qrow's eyes narrowed the moment she mentioned the witch's name. "I need information that he has in his possession. I sent those two because they would get the job done. It seems, however, that I have sorely misjudged their abilities considering they should have been back here yesterday," she finished. Gohan's expression grew darker while Yang remained quiet. Her daughter unnerved her with how quiet she was being.

"Are you absolutely sure of that?"

"My sources have never been wrong before."

"Those sources don't happen to be possible spies that have been placed at the end of your sword, right?"

"I fail to see what's wrong with that."

"God-damn-it Raven you can't keep killing people to get the information you want!" Qrow exploded. Raven stood up to meet Qrow's explosive advance. She wasn't going to take her little brother's words lightly. How she worked and how he worked were two different ways. She preferred a more direct way, while he wanted to do it the other way, which involved weeks of intimidation and scare-play. With her, it was information or death.

"That's not for you to decide _Little Brother_ ," Raven snapped.

"Well, it is now!" Yang's voice cut through the spat between the two older siblings. Both of them turned to see Yang strolling towards the two, glaring at Raven with blood red eyes. The blonde stopped when she was only a foot from the older woman. Raven could practically feel the waves of heat rolling off the younger teen. It was incredible how much power she kept tucked away secretly inside of her body. The amount of training she had been doing with Gohan was very evident.

"I've seen enough death to last me a lifetime!" Yang growled, causing Raven to flinch again. "If you love me as much as you say you do, you _will_ change, because killing people to get what we want is not how we do things. That's what _murderers_ do. It's what _Cell_ does," the golden blonde finished, meeting the black-haired woman's crimson eyes. The older Branwen carefully regarded her daughter's words before turning back to Qrow. There was silence for a few moments before a certain ginger opened her mouth.

"Sheesh," Nora muttered under her breath. "Here I thought we were the ones with family issues," she whispered to her green-clad friend. Ren merely shook his head with a tired look on his face.

"Not now, Nora."

"Fine," Raven growled bitterly, breaking the silence once again. Everyone listening to the conversation visibly relaxed as the words exited her mouth. She took a few steps back and sat down again, running a hand through her thick, black, spiky hair in the process. "Morality aside, my sources have informed me that Salem has a weapon. That weapon happens to be a person, and from what they say, Salem has found the last two maidens, and has killed them. This weapon of hers has the power of both the Winter and the Spring Maidens."

"A prime target for Cell to absorb," Gohan cut in, his features looking worse than before. "This isn't good. If he achieves his next evolution, there's no telling how strong he will become," he finished with a rather ominous tone. Everyone present gave a visible shudder. They hadn't heard of, nor seen Cell since the fall of Vale. His absence from the world as a whole was terrifying. The possibility that he was dead was on the table, but it wasn't likely.

"How do we even know Cell is still alive?" Jaune asked, clearly annoyed at having to hear the creature's name again. Qrow opened his mouth to respond to the boy's question, but was quickly interrupted by Android Sixteen. The robotic towering humanoid pushed off the wall it was leaning on and stood up tall. Its entire form was impossibly still, as if it was unaffected by the world around it.

"Cell still lives," Sixteen stated. Gohan raised an eyebrow at this.

"Not that I'm disagreeing with you, but what is your reasoning behind this?" the half-Saiyan asked. Sixteen was silent for a few moments before he turned to Gohan and Qrow.

"If Cell was to have perished, the power you know as the 'Summer Maiden' would have been transferred to either Yang Xiao Long or Blake Belladonna, considering those are the two females Cell had last seen. Cell had already absorbed a Maiden prior to his assault on Vale, and it would stand to reason that with the Fall Maiden being split between two beings, and the Winter and Spring being in the possession of Salem, that Cell would have the Summer Maiden," Sixteen explained. Gohan felt chills run up his spine.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"We watched your battle with Cell from afar. If you recall, your energy attack that clashed with Cell's imploded when a new energy punctured the dome of energy you had created," Raven cut in. All attention had been turned to her as she lifted a hand, a small ball of yellow energy erupting to life and hovering in her hand. She quickly closed her palm, extinguishing the energy flow. She leaned back to look at Gohan, who was currently glaring daggers at her. "If I hadn't interfered, both of you could have split the planet in half with that kind of energy," she scowled.

"You allowed Cell to get away," the half-Saiyan growled. The older woman merely raised a curious eyebrow at his statement.

"Really? Because it looked to me like you were losing that fight. Your energy was dropping faster than Cell's was. If I hadn't interrupted, Cell would have killed you, and we would all be dead. I'm not a fool. I know you are our _best_ chance at killing Cell and I wasn't willing to let you die so quickly," Raven continued. Gohan opened his mouth to respond, but quickly shut it. A brief flash of the fight in his mind reminded him that he was losing that fight. He had lost too much energy with Ruby's attack, and with Cell being stronger than ever, he had been slightly overwhelmed.

"Why were you even there to begin with?" Qrow questioned suddenly, a distasteful look permeating his features. His opinion of Raven seemed to be wavering dangerously. Sometimes he didn't know what to think of his sister. "You always preached to me that Ozpin would fail to protect Vale. Were you there to gloat?" he asked with a dangerous edge to his voice. Yang was slowly starting to see why Qrow never wanted to talk about his sister. The two had a rocky relationship at best, and the emotions being traded whenever they talked were difficult to process.

"I was there to see what we were up against. Cell is something Remnant has never seen before, nor is it prepared to fight. We aren't equipped or powerful enough to combat a monster like that. We are lucky we have someone capable of standing on equal footing with him," Raven retorted rather sourly. Gohan's scowl dropped to an interested frown as his mind continued to analyze the woman's words.

"You were trying to find a weak spot to exploit, weren't you?" the half-Saiyan asked. The woman merely nodded.

"Given what Cell is, I couldn't afford to fight the monster without knowing what its weaknesses were. It would be suicide. I was actually surprised to find that Yang had survived her fight with the monster," Raven replied. Yang snorted, the insult cutting deep and fracturing the already unstable mother-daughter relationship they were starting to form. Yang couldn't fault the woman either for her assumptions. She was rather surprised she had survived as well. Logically, she should have been killed several times over.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom," the blonde snarked. Raven merely turned to her only daughter in annoyance.

"That wasn't an insult at your skills and you know it. None of us here aside from Gohan stand a chance against that monster, and it's been that way since Mountain Glenn!" Raven snapped. A silent breeze swept through the area of the town they occupied when Raven realized her mistake. Qrow and Gohan's eyes widened significantly in unison, while Yang's eyebrows just furrowed. Jaune and the others just looked at each other with confused expressions, seeing as they knew nothing of the incident. Before Raven could explain herself, Qrow stepped forward, a thunderous look on his face.

"Raven…"

"Don't even ask," she shot back. "I'll just explain it, seeing as you will never let this go if I try and avoid it," she finished. The son of Goku crossed his arms and waited in anticipation, as the woman seemed to steady herself for the oncoming explanation. She seemed to have a rather pained expression. What she had just said before suddenly confirmed her appearance at Mountain Glenn all those years ago. Could she be the missing link he was desperately trying to find? Could she finally reveal what had actually happened?

"Go on," Gohan retorted patiently. Raven laughed mirthlessly.

She wondered if she would live to see the next day considering the sequence of bad choices she had made that day. Qrow would probably never forgive her, and Gohan would certainly blame her for a lot of the events that had transpired so far. If she hadn't been so indecisive and foolish, maybe they could have avoided all of the tragedy that had plagued them so far.

"Don't expect a happy ending to this story."

=/=

* * *

=/=

 _Fourteen Years Earlier - Mountain Glenn_

Her piercing crimson eyes watched on as the destruction ensured the total annihilation of Mountain Glenn and all of its inhabitants. The two gods that flew throughout the small city fighting like divine warriors. She hadn't seen anything like this before, and it all seemed like one big dream. The mere fact that there were people capable of such destruction and power was inconceivable.

The shockwaves that rocked the ghostly remains of the thriving small city of Mountain Glenn, continued to rip through the land, reshaping the landscape and obliterating any building that blocked their paths. Raven could do nothing but look on with shock and jealousy as two individuals zipped through the desolate remains of Mountain Glenn at blinding speeds. However, her attention was drawn to the two figures running throughout the remains, trying to escape the chaos.

Both Summer and Qrow looked injured and exhausted. The constant barrage of shockwaves created by the clashing of the two god-like figures duking it out in the skies above the city would send both of them to their knees. Raven had a fair bit of difficulty maintaining her balance every time the two fighters clashed. Of all the days for something like this to happen, it had to be on the day where her tribe was planning a raid on Mountain Glenn.

"Mistress?" a voice broke her out of her thoughts. Raven turned to find one of the higher ranked fighters of the tribe walking up to her. She had long, bright green hair that flowed halfway down her back. She had a pale skin complexion which matched her lilac eyes. She had a stern look on her face, as if to portray her dissatisfaction with the current situation they currently found themselves in. It seemed that their plans for the city had been thrown out the window the moment it had been destroyed from the inside out.

"I told you not to call me that, Sustrai. I am not the leader _yet_ ," Raven muttered bitterly as she turned to the newcomer. The woman stalked forward to stand next to the future leader of the tribe. A brief tilt of the woman's neck sent shivers down Raven's spine. She was one of, if not the highest ranked fighter in the tribe next to herself alone. Her semblance wasn't exactly combat effective, but it certainly made her a dangerous individual. Raven wasn't even sure if she could trust what she was seeing around this woman.

"Didn't I tell you just to call me by my name? Amethyst isn't hard, is it?" she replied in a bored tone. Raven's jaw tightened. The more this woman talked, the more her head started to hurt, and she wasn't sure if that was just her semblance or her judgemental tone. She had left her family two years ago, abandoning her only daughter so she could lead these murderers. There was something inside of her that desperately demanded that she return home, but it was already too late.

"Let's just get this over with," Raven snarled. Amethyst let out a haughty laugh as Raven's hands tightened around her sword. She could not take her eyes off her two ex-teammates, currently taking cover behind a building in the distance. Another shockwave ripped through the city. Buildings started to crumble under the force, and waves of dust, grime, and debris were thrown in multiple directions. They were about to enter a battlefield where only gods fought. Raven wasn't exactly sure if this was the best idea.

"Do you want me to deal with them?" Amethyst asked, a tinge of concern lacing her voice. Raven shook her head vehemently. Qrow was her younger brother, and Summer was her best friend. The fact that the two still took missions from Ozpin made her sick to her stomach, but it seemed she had no choice. She would have to deal with those two fast and then complete the mission she was sent here to complete. Failure was not an option, especially under the current leader's rule.

"They are my concern. Just gather the rest, and loot as much as you can. Kill any stragglers. I don't want any witnesses," Raven growled coldly. Amethyst clicked her tongue as a smirk graced her features. She turned and flicked her hair as she made her way back to the rest of the bandits. Raven's hands gripped her sword so violently her knuckles went white. She placed her mask over her face and pulled the sword from its sheath.

"Now you're speaking my language."

Raven swiped her sword, a portal appearing a few feet in front of her. She walked forward and let herself be swallowed by the darkness of her power. When she walked out of the portal, she was only a few meters away from Summer and Qrow. Her little brother was facing Summer, while the white cloaked woman caught sight of her. Summer's eyes widened dramatically, but it seemed that Qrow didn't notice.

"We should go," his voice drawled. His exhausted body gave Raven the perfect opportunity to deal with him. His back was turned, and she was armed. He didn't even know she was there, and Summer looked too shocked to even give warning to him. Qrow managed to look up at Summer, seeing her shocked features, he wouldn't even get a chance to finish his sentence.

"No! Stop!"

Summer's voice carried emotional weight as Raven raised her sword, and slammed the hilt into the back of Qrow's head. The younger Branwen dropped to the ground limply and emotionlessly. His unconscious body hit the pavement unceremoniously as Summer tried to scramble to his side. She lifted his motionless body into her arms, checking his injuries to see if he was okay. Luckily, all he had was a bit of trauma to the back of his head where Raven had hit him, but he wasn't going to be waking up anytime soon.

With all the Grimm around, not to mention the battle between the android and the mysterious teenage powerhouse, that was practically a death sentence.

"Raven, why!?" Summer practically screamed. The black haired woman didn't give any response. She felt rather guilty having to knock her younger brother out, but she couldn't have any witnesses here. Summer had already seen her, so she would have to get Amethyst to fix that. The woman was good at manipulating memories. However, she needed to be asleep for it to work. At this notion, Raven merely stepped forward in a menacing manner. Summer abandoned Qrow's body and leaped backwards.

"You wouldn't understand," Raven muttered. Summer didn't hear it, seeing as she was currently notching an arrow. She was low on ammunition, and Raven knew just how dangerous she was with her weapon. Her speed, plus her unrivaled accuracy was something to be feared. She was untouchable during spars back at Beacon, and both of them were unbeatable. Taiyang and Qrow liked to screw around and lost to fools. Both she and Summer were prodigies amongst their peer groups.

The two faced off against each other, a fierce fire brewing between them. Qrow's unconscious body lay still in the middle of the two older women, drawing the line in the battlefield. Raven knew she had the upper hand. Summer was tired, and almost out of aura, not to mention her arrows were running low, and her specialty arrows had long since been used up against larger threats. Summer was already handicapped going into this battle, and Raven knew that she understood the risks.

"Raven, please," her voice was broken, and reduced to pleading. Summer's one weakness was that she refused to fight against people she cared about. It had been a massive fault in their team's dynamic when going into tournaments like the Vytal Festival. While the girl excelled in combat, she truly lacked the killer instinct that made huntsmen true destroyers of Grimm. Raven always had that edge over her, and it would be the edge that Summer would fall too.

"Nothing personal Summer, this is just the path I've chosen to walk," Raven gripped her sword and adjusted her stance. Before Summer could respond, she shot forward at blinding speed, forcing the girl to retreat in a flurry of white petals. Raven knew Summer's strategy. She would fall back to a distance and attempt to fight from range due to the nature of her weapon. However, she would also attempt to use her speed to fight at different angles and rapidly change position on the battlefield. It was truly a devastating attack plan and always guaranteed her victory. Her opponents could never keep up with her.

However, she was different.

Raven had fought alongside Summer for years. She knew how the woman fought, and nothing would catch her off guard.

It was a game of cat and mouse. Summer would retreat whenever Raven would get close. The black haired woman knew she was fast, but she wasn't sure if she was fast enough to keep up with Summer's unmatched speed. She was only engaging purely based on the fact that Summer would tire out after a short while, and luckily that observation was correct. As the fight went on, the white-cloaked girl started to slow down, leading to Raven catching her.

Raven's crimson blade slammed down onto Summer's mechanical longbow. The metals clashed and the blade cut deep into the metal. Summer's bow was made of the highest quality materials. Lightweight and dense. Perfect for maneuverability and speed. A long ranged fighter versus a close-range fighter could never win in a situation like this. The older crimsonette was pushed against a concrete wall as Raven's superior strength overpowered her own. Sparks flew as the two continued to push against each other.

"Why did you leave!?" Summer grunted out, pain trailing on every word. Raven felt crushing guilt, but managed to push it aside. The mission was the top priority. No matter what she could do, she was already too far gone now. Her daughter would never forgive her, and she was prepared to make that sacrifice, so long as she lived. Maybe Yang would become strong enough to one day find her, if she wasn't already dead by then, but for now, the choice that Raven had made would be one that she would have to live with for the rest of her life.

"I was growing weak… _complacent_ ," Raven hissed. Every word was a filthy lie, but she could not bear to tell Summer the truth. Resolve was everything in this fight, and Raven was fighting an inner battle, as well as an external one. She didn't want to hurt Summer. This was the first person in her life, besides her brother to show genuine care and affection for her. She was such a kind and gentle soul, and to be tainted by Raven's darkness was something the black haired woman could not bear to see. It was affecting everyone around her. Raven would not bring her ruthless ideals to her husband and only daughter. Sometimes she caught herself thinking that Taiyang, Yang, and everyone else would live more happily without her around.

"I don't believe you!" Summer pushed back with surprising strength, causing Raven's stance to falter. She stumbled as another shockwave ripped through the city. Raven fell backwards with Summer following suit. The two tumbled as the ground split open from the sheer power being thrown around above them. The young boy's screams echoed throughout the city as monstrous beams of bright energy exploded and crashed into the landscape.

The two fell through a slit in the earth, and free fell down to the Undercity below the mountain. The two held onto each other, fighting for dominance. Finally, Summer activated her semblance and the two were enveloped in white rose petals. A white tornado, with a splash of black and red, tore through the air, zig-zagging until it hit the ground. Raven was thrown from Summer's grip upon impact. The woman tumbled and skidded across the ground, leaving a cloud of dust and dirt in her wake. Summer's light body bounced and rolled before stopping suddenly.

Raven's aura had taken a fairly large blow, but was still relatively intact. Summer, however, groaned in agonizing pain as she tried to push herself off the ground. Her left arm was violently twisted and broken, and her bow lay in pieces. Her beautiful white cloak was ripped and was stained with grime and blood. A trail of crimson liquid seeped from her forehead as she made it to her knees. Raven slowly pushed herself to her feet with relative ease. Both of them were breathing heavily, Summer being almost at the edge of defeat.

"I had no choice, Summer," Raven spoke softly. The crimsonette slowly started to make it to her feet, albeit with her entire body shaking, as if it were about to collapse under the strain. Her body was unprotected due to her sapped aura, her arm was broken, and her energy was spent. Even trying to activate her silver eyes led to them sparking, as if they were trying to draw on an empty pool of energy. She cursed slightly under her breath as she tried to face Raven.

"You and I both know there is _always_ a choice," Summer grunted. Raven stood for a moment, watching as Summer struggled to remain on her feet. Her crimson eyes softened, as her feelings started to waver. She loved her old family. Summer, Taiyang, and Qrow. She loved them all so much, but there was no way she could have continued to have that life without putting them in danger. The tribe had to have a leader, and the current one had to be days away from death at most. Qrow had no emotional attachments, so they had no leverage over him. She had Yang and Taiyang. Their safety was threatened.

No matter how strong she or Taiyang were, they would always be in constant danger. The tribe was ruthless that way. Deserters would be punished in full. She had made the only choice that had made sense to her at the time, no matter how much it had hurt her to make it.

"How old is Ruby?" Raven asked suddenly. Summer was rather taken aback by the ambiguity of the question. Considering the situation they were in, it was rather unexpected for her to ask such a question.

"She's two," Summer replied. Raven closed her eyes, letting a small smile briefly overtake her features.

"Yang must be four. How is she?"

"Don't act like you don't know," Summer growled lightly. "You think I haven't noticed you spying? Do you think I was born yesterday, Raven!?" her voice was hoarse and angry. Raven knew that when Summer got angry, it was never a good thing. She rarely got angry at anything, but when she did, she had _very_ good reasons to be. The flashes of anger in those silver eyes were chilling enough to freeze Raven to the spot. Summer could be very intimidating when she needed to be.

"Summer…" Raven started nervously, but a hiss from the older crimsonette cut her off.

"You carried Yang for nine months. For _nine_ _months_ you were the most careful person I had ever met! You treated your body like a temple. You had a smile on your face every day, even throughout the bad times! Yang brought you so much happiness!" Summer continued, her emotional voice draining Raven's ability to respond. "I refuse to believe that you don't care! You cannot stand there and tell me that you do not care anymore! She is not your weakness! She's your strength, Raven!" the woman had tears on her face. The black haired woman stood there as Summer opened her heart to her. The tears of an honest soul were enough to bring light to even the darkest places.

"Ruby is mine…" she broke down. Raven opened her mouth to respond but found there were no words that came to aid her. "There's not a day that goes by where I don't worry about her. I've even come to see Yang as my own, since you seem to be incapable of doing so," Summer growled. Raven's jaw tightened as her own tears threatened to fall.

"That's not fair," the words came out as a childish cry. "You can't possibly know the sacrifices I've made to ensure that they remain safe!"

"Raven…" Summer once again raised her head again to meet Raven's eyes. Summer seemed to be the only person to be able to reach this part of Raven's personality. She was as cold as steel when she needed to be, and yet, she was unable to stop herself from reacting like this when around Summer. "They're our light. Our hope. Our dreams and beliefs. They are the future we leave behind. They're the ones that carry the torches that we hand down. It's our job to show them the reigns. Raven… you know this, so why do you deny it?"

Before Raven had the chance to answer, another shockwave ripped through the city above them, sending ripples through the mountain. A bright blue light followed by an ear piercing scream blinded both Summer and Raven. The hole in the ceiling where they had fallen down into the Undercity was glowing brighter than the sun. Waves of energy shook the entire cavern, causing rocks and other debris to fall. Neither Summer nor Raven had the opportunity to continue their conversation.

Diving in and out of falling debris, both women struggled to survive the onslaught, however, the white-cloaked female wasn't so lucky. A particularly large part of the ceiling fell and landed right next to her. The weight and impact of the rock cracked the ground and caused the area Summer was standing on to sink and fall. A panicked cry escaped her lips as she fell over, losing her balance. Raven watched in horror as the platform she was standing on dropped, taking the silver-eyed beauty with it.

"Summer!" Raven cried as she raced over to the hole in the ground. The only thing she could see was a white flash disappearing into a dark abyss. The darkness of the mountain claiming the pure woman. Raven's heart ached as if it had just been stabbed violently multiple times over. The urge to vomit was evident, but she held it in as the debris stopped falling. Utter silence descended upon the Undercity as Grimm started to crawl out of the darkness.

"SUMMER!" Raven called out into the deafening silence. Her voice echoed for what seemed like miles. She received no answer. A crippling feeling of guilt seized her body as she sat back from the edge of the hole. A familiar feeling she knew all too well. The day she had left Yang with Taiyang, effectively abandoning the two, this same feeling had pushed its way into her heart once again. She felt her sword at her hand, lying loosely on the ground at her side.

The mask fell from her face and hit the ground with an ominous thud. Tears streamed out of her eyes like waterfalls. A fall like that in her condition was sure to have killed her. A fate to have befallen such a kind person was chilling. Dying in the dark depths of a Grimm infested mountain. It was sure to be hell. Raven almost hoped Summer had broken her neck when she hit the bottom, because surviving in a place like this in her condition was nothing more than promising an extended period of agonized suffering.

On the edges of her consciousness, she heard a couple of Grimm growl as they approached her. The Undercity had long since been abandoned since the fighting started, and the Grimm had been quick to overtake it. A bubbling sense of bloodlust filled her senses as anger shredded every restraint she had in place. Summer's death had sent her over the edge.

Now all she saw was red.

In a matter of moments, a bloodbath ensued.

She was a nightmare incarnate to the Grimm, her crimson sword cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. She had never felt so angry, and this rage was a new feeling to her. It was almost like she had lost herself to another entity controlling her body. She could have sworn she was watching herself in the third person, as she massacred the Grimm without remorse or mercy.

After a few minutes, not a single spawn of darkness remained, and Raven was covered in scratches and bruises. Her armor had been torn, and her boots were ripped. She was practically naked with a few shreds of her armor hanging onto her body by a thread. A dark, vermillion aura circled around her body, hugging her skin tightly. An uncaring frown was etched into her features. With a single swipe of her sword, a portal appeared before her, returning her to the surface.

Once she stepped out, she looked around. The entire city had crumbled and the surrounding forests were on fire. She paid no attention to the destruction, only the smoking crater she found a few meters away from her. Embedded in the middle of the crater, was the teenage boy who had been causing all the destruction, fighting that strange blue humanoid. All she could see from the fight was that the aqua humanoid was, in fact, an android, seeing as it lay in pieces a few meters away.

Next to the boy was Amethyst, a gentle hand on the boy's forehead. Raven's growl broke Amethyst's concentration. Using her unique semblance, the woman had already begun the process of erasing the boy's memories. It was a very delicate procedure that she had learned to do over the years with her unique abilities, and they had used it to recruit a number of people to their cause without much fuss. It seemed she was taking the opportunity to wipe the boy's mind so they could recruit him and use his power.

Their tribe would be unstoppable! However, it seemed that Raven wasn't a fan of this course of action.

She turned to look at her mistress, only to see a beast of a woman, instead of the Raven she had come to know. The furious crimson aura coated the woman's body, radiating an intimidating, sickening feeling. Amethyst swallowed when Raven's eyes landed on her. They were void of caring and harvested no sympathy towards anything. She looked like a wild angry beast.

"Leave him." Raven snarled. The mint haired girl recoiled in shock from the sheer hate in Raven's voice.

"But, Mistress! This boy, he could potentially be a warrior for our tribe. I've already erased the memories of his battle here, we could-"

" **I said leave him**!"

Raven's voice left no room for argument. Slowly but surely, Amethyst stood up and moved out of the crater and over to her mistress's side. Raven didn't feel fear with the amount of adrenaline coursing through her body. Her crimson aura was still visible as it hugged her body protectively, and intimidatingly. Her vicious scowl promised pain to anyone who got on the wrong side of her, and Amethyst could see that. The green haired girl thought it best to not speak until spoken too.

"Have we retrieved everything we need?" Raven questioned her subordinate. Amethyst nodded vigorously, careful not to invoke Raven's wrath. While she considered herself a strong fighter, Raven was brutal and merciless. Raven could go from calm and calculating to cold and blood-thirsty at the flip of a switch. If she was to make an estimated guess, Raven seemed to be struggling with two conflicting sides of herself. It seemed that the latter side had won this time around.

"Yes, Mistress. All valuables have been harvested from the city. We are currently taking everything back to the camp, but…" Amethyst trailed off when she recalled what their men had said. They had found various corpse-like bodies in pods that seemed to be sealed tight. One was a morbidly obese clown looking figure, and another was a hulking ginger haired humanoid who seemed to be double the size of just about everyone in the tribe. "We seem to have salvaged some strange looking items."

"I see," Raven stated blandly. "I will inspect them for myself when we return," she finished. A groan interrupted the two as they began to make their way back to the encampment. Turning, Raven and Amethyst caught sight of Qrow. The huntsman was injured and was seemingly starting to regain consciousness. Raven took a few moments to gaze upon her little brother, but alas, she felt nothing at that moment. Her heart had been iced over, and her eyes reflected a look of uncaring. She turned and kept walking.

"Mistress?"

"Yes?" Raven questioned. Amethyst looked over towards Qrow, a look of concern in her eyes. She knew both Qrow and Raven growing up. Despite them both abandoning the tribe to train at Beacon, she knew that they were both strong. Was it really wise to leave him here? She couldn't understand Raven's thought process.

"Are we just going to leave your brother there?" she asked. Raven thought for a moment, before turning back and continuing on her way. It seemed pretty clear on what her thoughts were on the manner, it was just concerning how quickly Raven had changed over a singular mission. Ever since Raven had abandoned her life to return to the tribe, Amethyst had noticed that she had been distant and hesitant. Even at the start of the mission, she was conflicted.

Now all she could see was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted to do. She would have been happy if she wasn't so concerned about how quickly it had happened. These changes normally came slowly over time, not over a couple of hours. Whatever had happened to Raven, it had damaged her psyche heavily, and Amethyst wasn't sure what she would be like in the future.

"Of course. The weak are destined to perish, and the strong are prophesied to survive. It is the way of nature. If he perishes here, then that is his fate, same for the boy," Raven remarked in an uncaring fashion. Amethyst merely nodded in agreement. She shared the same views, but to be completely honest, they were both completely unconscious and had no way of defending themselves. However, defying the future mistress of the tribe was grounds for death.

"I see."

"Come along now. We have work to do."

She didn't dare protest.

=/=

* * *

=/=

 _Present_

"You left us for dead."

It was a statement so full of malice and distaste that Raven could practically feel it from where she was sitting. The words hadn't come from Gohan like she had expected, but instead Qrow, her own brother. It had been a reaction she was expecting. Yang just stared at her in disbelief while Gohan glared at her with judgemental eyes. A feeling Raven wasn't familiar with bubbled inside of her. All the stares she was receiving were unpleasant and hurtful, but she knew she deserved it.

"I did. I counted on nature to decide your fate," Raven responded with an emotionless voice. Gohan saw no use in berating her, and when Yang stepped forward to unleash her righteous fury upon the elder woman, Gohan merely held out a hand to quell her anger. Yang hesitantly glanced his way, shooting him a questionable, yet annoyed look. However, the softness reflected in the young half-Saiyan's eyes seemed to calm her. She merely crossed her arms and returned to glaring at Raven. The woman seemed to be edging further away with each new revelation for her redemption.

"And where is this woman now? The one who was erasing my memories? I would very much like them back," Gohan stated with a scowl. Raven averted her eyes, a look of sorrow and distaste crossing her features. Her expression told him everything.

"She was struck down by Salem's associates years ago. I wasn't able to get to her in time."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the Saiyan replied, his tone not conveying much sympathy at all. "However, I am curious. Why did you stop her from erasing the rest of my memories? With my power at your disposal, you could have brought this world to its knees and I would have been none the wiser," Gohan questioned suspiciously. "Instead, you left both Qrow and I to die. Can't say I appreciate it, but I don't understand why you would do that."

"You were too powerful."

The statement caught him off guard, as well as the rest of the group. Android Sixteen merely closed his eyes, understanding the woman's reasoning. It was bad enough for her that a machine of his caliber could erase her existence if it so desired. It was only his altered programming that kept the tribe safe from him. He was only loyal to her, as per his reprogramming. With his knowledge on Earth's Special Forces that Dr. Gero had compiled, he had used that knowledge to teach her how to unlock and use ki.

"You're unparalleled ability in not making any sense surprises me every day, Raven. Explain yourself!" Qrow snapped impatiently. Yang was busy trying to make heads or tails of the woman's words while the remnants of team JNPR listened in closely. None of it was making any sort of sense to them, but it was the closest they were going to get as to an explanation. Pyrrha had informed them of the happenings that she had experienced back at Beacon Academy. While they initially disagreed with her reasoning for keeping the power to herself, they eventually came to understand that the power was absurdly destructive. No aura based technique even came close to rivaling it.

"Your power," Raven started, turning to Gohan with a fierce scowl coating her features. "Regardless of whether or not you had your memories, I saw your power as a liability to our cause. The tribe would see you as their leader, and they would have been guided in the wrong direction. The strongest rules and I was to take up the mantle after the current leader stepped down," Raven explained. Although it made sense, it opened up another flaw in her argument. Android Sixteen was much stronger than anyone here besides Gohan, or possibly Yang. Why would the tribe not follow him?

"What about your green friend over there?" Yang gestured to Android Sixteen. The mechanical giant didn't show any signs of response and merely continued to listen in on the conversation. "I can't sense his energy, but I know he's stronger than you. Why isn't he leading this… _tribe_?" Yang stated, the last word said with an incredible amount of distaste. Raven couldn't fault her for thinking that. It was probably what they were all thinking, but at the time, when Sixteen was introduced to the tribe, he was viewed as nothing more than a tool of destruction. A weapon to be used at their convenience.

"He is an Android. The tribe views him as such."

"Speaks volumes of their intelligence doesn't it, Raven?" Qrow chided. The woman in question shot him a hateful look, but reigned it in when she found that her glare was dwarfed by the multiple distrustful and disgusted looks she was earning. She knew the road to redemption would be a long, rocky, and treacherous one, but it was one she was hoping she would be able to walk. Right now, all she was trying to do was explain herself, and Qrow wasn't making it easy for her.

"So I would be too hard to control. In the end, you saw more problems with me being a part of this tribe, so you left me for dead. I'm surprised you didn't just kill me," Gohan commented, bringing the conversation back in full circle. The black haired ex-huntress just sighed in frustration. She was exhausted from her battle with Yang, and all this explaining was pushing her to the edge. The more she tried to explain her actions in the past, the more she felt like she was digging herself into a hole she wouldn't be able to climb out of. Lying was out of the question, seeing as it would only bring her more strife in the future.

That is if she lived to see it.

"Like I said, I was willing to let nature decide your fate, and now here you are. I am defeated, and you are the victor. What happens now?" Raven asked, hesitant to hear the answer to her question. She watched Qrow open his mouth, obviously going to say something brash and rude, but it seemed that Gohan had managed to beat him to the punch, albeit with a different approach.

"I'm not exactly an expert on the relationships that you've had in the past. It's quite clear that you had your own intentions in mind with no regards for anyone else in this world. That's something I cannot support, so I'm going to give you a choice." Gohan stepped forward out of the formation that had formed around Raven. Qrow's eyes widened slightly at the sudden change in atmosphere as Gohan extended a hand towards the woman. Yang watched with anticipation as the boy she had come to love, did exactly what she had expected him to do. A heart of kindness, and a spirit of righteousness. He was a warrior, a beacon of hope in this dark, unforgiving world.

"Despite the lives you have destroyed for your own gain, there is always a chance to turn back. Will you help us fight Cell?" Gohan asked, his hand extended towards Raven. The older Branwen thought for a moment, thinking on the chance that was being presented towards her, but before she could say anything, the voice of her younger brother cut her off.

"Now hold on a second," Qrow interjected with a sour look on his features. "Let's think about this for a moment. I'm all for recruiting all the power we can get to combat Cell, but I know Raven. I don't think you should be the one to make that call," Qrow stated standing in front of both Raven and Gohan, the older man looking towards the half-Saiyan. Gohan's eyebrows curved in annoyance. Regardless of this woman's past, they needed all the support they could get! Cell was a global threat and if he won, everyone would be doomed!

"Qrow, now isn't the time to be second guessing this. She has an extraordinary amount of power that can help us. Everyone can sense that. Regardless of her past mistakes and the people she has killed, we all have the same goal here. Cell will kill every single one of us if he wins. We can't be picky about who we ask to help!" Gohan countered. Qrow sighed in frustration as he gestured towards Raven, his eyes still locked on the son of Goku.

"I know that. Believe me, I've spent the better half of my life trying to convince her that she made the biggest mistake of _her_ life," Qrow snapped in annoyance. He could feel Raven's eyes carving holes into the back of his head. The judgemental and arrogant older sister that she was, didn't take kindly to the constant insults that he threw her way. He did it for multiple reasons, but the biggest one was that he was trying to get her to see where she had gone wrong, and so far, his efforts had been proven to be pointless, until now.

"I know her. She isn't just going to flip a switch and jump ship."

"She will."

The voice didn't come from Gohan, but instead, the words came from Yang. The girl had clearly endured the conversation long enough. Her silence allowed her to analyze and soak up all the information she had been presented. She wasn't much of a logical thinker, and most of the time she just went with what her feelings demanded of her. This time wasn't much different. All she could do was stand there and watch as various emotions flooded her birth mother's eyes. From what she could tell, Raven wanted to change, and it wasn't going to be Qrow or Gohan to give her that choice.

"Yang-"

"Qrow, shut up."

The fact that Yang didn't say 'uncle' Qrow disturbed him slightly. The brawler strolled up to the older man with a vicious look on her face. He held his ground impassively as he normally did. She never could intimidate him with her semblance before. He always knew he could beat her, but now he wasn't so sure about it. She had spent a long time training since Ruby had died, and he could sense the energy rolling off her was much larger than he had ever anticipated. Suffice to say she had surpassed him in most areas, but that didn't mean she was better than him.

"You're right. Gohan isn't the one that should be giving her a second chance. Quite frankly, neither should you. That responsibility, falls only to me," Yang snapped turning to Raven, her eyes shifting to a blood red. Qrow merely grunted as he crossed his arms, interested to see where Yang was taking this. He had to agree with her on some level. If anyone was going to change the way Raven lived, it was going to be the one daughter she ever had.

"I can't help but feel we shouldn't be here," Jaune whispered. Weiss who had been watching silently up till now sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Not now, Jaune."

Yang took a few steps forward and faced Raven. This time, it was Yang who extended her hand to her mother. Raven's hands started to tremble, but the woman showed no signs of knowing about it. Both mother and daughter's eyes were locked in a stare, as if they were having a mental battle that would determine the older woman's future. After a few moments, a lone tear fell out of Raven's eye, as a small smile graced the woman's face.

"Thank you… Yang."

"Don't think this changes anything. If you want to really start making things up to me, then this is the first step. Steps two through one thousand come later," Yang stated with the utmost seriousness. The entire group cringed as the words left the blonde's mouth. Raven gave a dramatic sigh as she took her daughter's hand and stood up. Despite being set down on the long road of redemption, at least she now had a goal in sight.

"I think this is just fine."

=/=

* * *

=/=

The journey back to the village on the outskirts of Menagerie had been an uneventful, quiet walk.

Blake couldn't help but lull over the words that had been exchanged when she and Sun had confronted the Guardian of Remnant. She was still trying to wrap her head around the title that the ancient man held. The more she thought about it, the more she felt a headache coming on. The pieces of an ancient memory, not her own, were starting to fall into place. All the information she needed, she had gained along with decades worth of knowledge.

Where was she even supposed to start with all this information now available to her?

A noteworthy occurrence brought the cat-faunus out of her thoughts, as she didn't fail to notice that the Grimm that had been constantly assaulting the perimeter of the village had now ceased. There were only a few dozen or so Grimm, and they were the smaller weaker types that people were able to deal with, provided they had the most basic of weaponry. However, what Sun and Blake had noticed immediately when returning to the village was a massive battleship, docked at the harbor. It wore the Mistral symbol upon it and was currently loading on faunus by the hundreds.

They were evacuating the village!

"Can't say I was expecting this," Sun stated honestly. The cat faunus ignored his words and moved forward to examine the situation from a closer angle. The closer they both got to the ship, the more they understood the situation. People were injured and broken. Hundreds, if not thousands of faunas from the village were making their way on board, while another lot were being hoisted in, mainly the injured groups. Various huntresses and huntsmen stood guard around the entrance to the boat. Suddenly, Sun spotted someone familiar.

"Neptune!?" Sun called out. The aqua haired boy turned and looked towards where the voice had come from. Both Sun and Blake walked over to the older teen with questionable looks on their faces. Neptune's face immediately lit up at the sight of recognizable faces.

"Sun! I thought I'd find you here. The rest of our team is inside the boat helping the wounded," Neptune explained as he gestured towards the ship. Blake's eyes followed his hand towards the boat. On the deck of the boat, talking to a couple of armed guards, and what seemed to be a platoon of medics, was her mother. Kali Belladonna was directing the Mistral forces to locations where faunus were still held up and trying to rebuild. From the state of the village, it was proving to be a fruitless effort.

"Well that's good to hear, but we were gone less than a day or two. We didn't know that the village was going to be evacuated," Sun remarked. Neptune shrugged, a saddened look on his face.

"Cell has been spotted in this area within the last week. We came to evacuate anyone in the area. This ship will be heading towards Vale next, to pick up any survivors. General Ironwood is leading both the Atlas Military and Mistral's army seeing as he convinced the councils that he knows how to protect everyone from Cell," Neptune explained. Blake wanted to laugh, but she knew that it wouldn't help the situation. General Ironwood had absolutely no idea what he was going up against if he was trying to convince the leaders of each Kingdom that he could fight Cell.

"What?" she cut in incredulously. "Cell can't be stopped. The only person who can fight him right now is Gohan, and he was training on the Lookout last time I checked. I haven't seen him for a few months, and my bet is that he might be out looking for Cell," she explained. Neptune merely sighed as he ran a hand through his hair depressively. For such an outgoing boy, she was rather surprised at the atmosphere he was exerting. That usual confidence he radiated wasn't there anymore like she had remembered.

"Look," he started. "General Ironwood knows that he can't stop Cell but the best he can do is try. The first step is by getting as many people to safety, and that includes the citizens in Menagerie. Most of the teams at Haven academy are also working to help this effort. Our headmaster is… well…"

"Yeah, he's a spineless idiot. We know," Sun cut in, causing Blake to raise her eyes at this. She couldn't imagine someone of Ozpin's position being spineless. Clearly, Professor Lionheart didn't have a very good reputation at Haven Academy. Regardless of the schools standing, just hearing Sun talk about him, didn't put the man in a very good light in her eyes.

"So we are evacuating everyone in the town?" Blake questioned, just to make sure she was on the same page as everyone else. Neptune nodded, confirming the event that was taking place in the harbor. Blake merely sighed and rolled her eyes. She was seriously starting to get frustrated with the number of impromptu surprises that had been happening recently in her teenage life. She thought those sorts of issues were to come later in her life.

She turned and walked off, leaving Sun standing next to Neptune. The two males looked at each other and shrugged in unison.

"What's her deal?"

"Dude… trust me. You don't even want to know."

Blake made her way up the ramp and towards her mother, who seemed to be overseeing the evacuation of Menagerie. The moment Blake got close, Kali turned around, and their eyes met. Two pairs of amber eyes met and exchanged a flurry of emotions. Despite only being apart for less than two days, the rush to embrace each other had been quick and swift.

Blake practically fell into Kali's arms as the two embraced. After a few moments, they separated, a calm sweet smile present on both of their features.

"Seeing you return to me unharmed is everything I could have asked for," Kali smiled as Blake returned it happily.

"I'm glad we are able to evacuate everyone safely. I'll be honest, trying to rebuild this place felt like trying to drag along a dead corpse. I don't see it being rebuilt without proper defenses being set in place first, and since Cell destroyed those when he came through here…" Blake trailed off as her gaze drifted towards the deck of the ship. The loss of her father brought her great pain, and it haunted her because she was never able to apologize for the way she acted when she left to join the White Fang.

"Blake," Kali started, forcing the younger Belladonna to look up. "Ghira loved you with all of his heart. Don't ever think there was a moment where he doubted you. While we did not approve of your obsession to follow the White Fang, we are proud that you were able to find balance in Beacon. We are proud of you Blake, don't ever forget that," she soothed, her voice washing over Blake like a calming ocean breeze. The younger, super-powered faunus relaxed and nodded.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to make sure everyone is accounted for before we leave. I will talk to you soon," Kali turned and walked past Blake, leaving her to her own devices. Blake watched Kali leave, a hint of sadness trailed off and followed the older woman like a storm cloud above her head. She knew that Kali was still trying to accept that Ghira was gone, but she did very well at hiding her emotions when she needed to.

Blake turned, spinning on her heel and made her way to the front of the ship. She swung her legs over the edge and sat on the railing, looking out into the distance in deep thought. The sun was high in the sky, and the horizon showed nothing but sparkling blue seas. It was a rather peaceful sight, and it allowed her to relax and really take the time to think over what she had experienced in the past few days. She gazed at her injured arm, which was starting to heal up quite nicely. The pain was almost non-existent, apart from the occasional throbbing sensation, she was able to ignore the injury entirely.

She missed her team.

She missed Yang and Gohan.

She missed Weiss and Pyrrha.

But most of all, she missed Ruby.

Blake started to play with her fingers as she absently thought about what Gohan had told them a long time ago. After the fall of Beacon, he had informed them about the existence of the Dragon Balls, mystical artifacts capable of granting any wish. They were even powerful enough to bring people back from the dead, and that idea seemed more appealing than ever with the fact that her father was now deceased. The urge to seek these magical objects out was almost maddening. However, they didn't exist on Remnant and only on some kind of planet called Namek.

" _Namek huh?_ " she thought, leaning back and looking up into the sky. " _I wonder where that world is?"_

" _Hello!? Who is this!?"_

The hair on the back of Blake's neck stood on end as an unfamiliar voice intruded the privacy of her mind. It echoed inside of her head and was painfully loud. She had practically leaped out of her sitting position and back onto the deck, her sword already drawn. The intrusive voice in her mind had set off every red alarm she could have possibly thought of. She waited for it again, but heard nothing after a few moments of silence.

" _Am I going crazy?_ "

" _No! No you're not crazy! Please listen to me,_ " the voice echoed once more. Terror started to creep into her heart as her hands started to sweat. She was desperately looking around for the voice that seemed to be assaulting her mind. She couldn't tell where it was coming from, only that she didn't like it and that whoever was doing this to her, needed to stop immediately. She knew this voice was real, and she could definitely hear it.

" _Who are you?!_ "

" _Calm down. My name is King Kai. I'm the North Kai that watches over the Northern Galaxy. I am currently communicating with you from Otherworld! Please, you have to listen to me, your planet is in grave danger!_ " the voice warned. The voice had identified itself as someone called King Kai, and he was talking to her from a place called Otherworld?

Wait…

That was the place Gohan had explained where Ruby had gone to after she had died! What was this person doing suddenly talking to her out of the blue, and especially through her mind!

" _Are you dead? You said you're talking from a place called Otherworld. A friend of mine said only dead souls go there,_ " Blake retorted. There was a momentary silence before the voice came back with a response.

" _Am I talking to Blake Belladonna? I'm not sure if I'm sensing your energy correctly. It's the first large energy signature I've come into contact with. You must have defeated the Guardian of your planet!"_ King Kai exclaimed in surprise. Blake took a moment to gather her thoughts. Just from the tone of the voice in her head, it assumed he was evil or something. Hell, the Kai even sounded grateful that the man had been defeated!

" _Defeated? Uh… no. We didn't fight at all. He was passive and non-threatening."_ she replied mentally. It was strange, the feeling of talking to someone in her head. It was almost like speaking, except she had to visualize herself doing it, without actually opening her mouth. Her expression twisted in confusion as she tried to figure out how such a phenomenon was occurring.

" _Really!?"_ The voice echoed inside of her head. " _Hmm… the only reason I haven't been able to communicate with you or anyone else on Remnant is that something has been blocking me telepathically. I only assumed it was the Guardian, seeing as they are the only beings capable of such a thing."  
_

" _I'm not sure it was the Guardian doing that though,"_ Blake retorted quickly. " _He mentioned that there were other powerful magic beings. The two brothers that is… I'm not sure. It's still quite confusing. I'm trying to piece it all together. He told me that they got fed up with your inaction and decided to block you all out entirely. They must have put some kind of spell on the Guardian to keep up whatever was blocking your means of communication._ "

" _Well… it's not really our place to interfere with inner workings of worlds. We only get involved if something threatens the safety of the universe!_ "

" _So I guess you're talking to me about the threat Cell presents?_ "

" _Indeed. I could only watch the destruction of one of your Kingdom's. Luckily, I was able to request that Ruby Rose keep her body, so that she may return in the future to help with your efforts against Cell. He is a threat, not only to Remnant but to the entire universe! The amount of damage he can cause, should he attain all of his power would be catastrophic!_ " King Kai explained. None of this information was new to Blake. She had witnessed his power first hand, but the one piece of information that did stick was that Ruby was up there, training with this person right now, and at some point, she was going to return!

" _Wait a second. Ruby is up there with you?_ "

" _Yes. She is undergoing extreme training so that when she returns, she can help with the fight against Cell,_ "

" _But she's dead!_ " Blake countered, confusion lacing her voice.

" _We have a way to revive her."_

" _Let me guess. Dragon Balls?_ " It wasn't much of a guess. It was the only way she knew that people could come back to life. The idea that people were able to return from the dead, effectively cheating the ultimate punishment was still completely absurd in her mind, but considering everything she had been through since she had met Gohan, she couldn't exactly deny the existence of these items. She couldn't help but wonder what else the universe was hiding. She had no idea about the maidens, Salem, Cinder, or Cell before she came to Beacon. What else was there that she had no knowledge of?

" _Yes, we will be using the Dragonballs to revive Ruby. In the meantime, I need to get into contact with Gohan. If you could meet with him as soon as possible, I can talk to everyone and explain a plan for tracking down Cell,_ " King Kai explained. Blake thought for a moment, analyzing the words of this 'supposed' Kai. She didn't know what they were, or how important they were, but if Ruby was up there training with this person, then she had good reason to trust him. However, she was still skeptical. Maybe Gohan would know whether or not to trust this strange voice in her head. However, she knew that it was about time she returned to them.

She had made her peace here, and it was time she made her way back to the Lookout. However, leaving Sun and Kali here didn't exactly bode well with her. She was more worried about Kali than Sun. He had his team here with him, now that this ship was evacuating the town. She didn't want to lose her mother, as well as her father, and Blake knew she would feel safer up on the Lookout.

" _Okay. I can make my way to Gohan, but I have a question. If you can easily talk to me from a different dimension, why is it that you can't get in touch with Gohan? Surely he would be easier to find considering that his power is far greater than my own. How is it that you found mine instead?_ "

" _It was my intention to find and talk to Gohan as soon as possible, however, you are the new Guardian of Remnant, are you not? It only makes sense for the Guardians' to frequently converse with the Kai's. Also, there are still some lingering effects from that spell. I can't exactly locate him right now._ "

She technically _fused_ with the Guardian. His soul was now part of hers, giving her an incredible boost in power, knowledge, and overall control of her abilities. If that really did place here in the position of Remnant's mythological protector, then she really had no footing to deny the claims the Kai was making. The least she could do now was attempt to fulfill the role better than the previous Guardian.

" _What should I do then?_ " she questioned the disembodied voice that apparently belonged to King Kai. There was silence for a few moments while Blake looked around to make sure she was still alone. There were people around, but they were all shuffling and moving about the deck. She returned to looking towards the horizon as the voice returned to answer her question.

" _I think it's quite obvious. We need to come up with a way to beat Cell! If we fail to defeat him, then the entire solar system will be in trouble!_ "

" _Sure, just let me get right on that…_ "

=/=

* * *

=/=

There weren't many things in the world that Cinder Fall truly feared.

In truth, she did not fear Cell or Gohan. She loathed them, yes, but she was not afraid of them. How could one be feared when they too, also harbored fears of their own? Cinder had tried to peel off all the fear her mind had formulated since she was a child. Nightmares and phobias, they all were purged from her mind in the desire for power. However, that left room for new ones to take up residence.

The monster in front of her was one of her few fears that she truly could not get rid of. Its skin was ghostly white, and the black veins that seemed to pulsate through her skin were abhorrent. It made Cinder feel sick, reminding her of the Grimm Queen herself. She had nightmares of how Salem came to be, once just a regular human, had somehow come to fuse with a Grimm. It was a legend that Salem had entertained her with, and she had no idea whether it was true or not.

Regardless, it was a gruesome tale. Whoever this woman once was, Cinder had nothing but pity for the horrors she had endured. The humanity had been ripped away from her both physically and mentally. Those cold silver eyes held nothing but the desires of her previous mistress. She wanted death and absolute control. This was Salem's ace in the hole.

This _monstrosity_.

"Summer Rose? Is… she related to Ruby?" Pyrrha asked hesitantly. Ozpin merely nodded, a grim frown on his face as the humanoid Grimm took a few steps backwards, its signature white cloak fluttering in the breeze. Cinder found herself backing away instinctively once she had made it to her feet. Pyrrha followed shortly after, making her way to stand by Ozpin.

"She was once the greatest Huntress that ever graduated from Beacon. Even she could not best Salem, it seems…" Ozpin's tone was distant and cold, filled to the brim with self-loathing. Pyrrha gripped Milo and Akouo in anticipation. She had trouble reading this thing's energy. It was almost like it was stuck between the living and the dead. It was disturbingly evident that this monster was going to be difficult to fight. "Ruby Rose's long-lost mother."

"Salem's ace in the hole," Cinder blurted out unintentionally. Ozpin and Pyrrha regarded her briefly. She stood a few steps behind the two while the monster waited patiently, almost as if it was studying them, gauging their strengths and coming up with a plan to fight all three of them together. Which would it kill first? Which would it break and incapacitate? It was clearly here to rip the maiden powers from her, so it would probably deal with her last.

Salem didn't like to take chances. No doubt, the witch herself was watching through this soulless abomination's eyes.

"How much are you aware of her condition, Ms. Fall?" Ozpin asked carefully. Cinder merely swallowed her fear and stepped forward to stand beside the man she had tried to kill only a couple of months prior. She had no idea if she could trust the man or not, but his calm tone with her projected a feeling of trust towards her. She had a feeling that Ozpin recognized Summer as the bigger threat here, and thus he'd deal with her later.

"Not much at all to be quite honest with you. Salem never revealed to any of us who she was. All we know was that she was a powerful huntress that Salem managed to capture and… twist. All of us were willing to join her side, I guess Summer Rose was not so willing," Cinder gestured to the monster before them. "I'm going to assume that's what happens to you if you deny Salem what she wants."

"That sounds like her," Ozpin agreed. Cinder sneered at that comment. What could this old fool possibly know about Salem? Whenever Salem talked about Ozpin, it was always like she was reminiscing on older times, like they were friends a long time ago. It made no sense. Salem was immortal. She could be killed, but aging meant absolutely nothing to her. Ozpin was full of mysteries, but there was no way he could be anywhere close to as old as Salem was.

Perhaps he was the first person to beat her? Maybe that's why whenever Cinder heard Salem talk about Ozpin, she held so much begrudging respect for the man. Cinder thought he was an old fool for the longest time… perhaps that's why she failed so severely at the invasion of Vale. She vastly underestimated the Headmaster of the greatest huntsmen academy in the world.

"If she's Salem's ace, then we can't let her escape," Pyrrha stated as she stepped forward. Ozpin nodded in response.

"I have been tailing her since she infiltrated Beacon Academy during the invasion. She managed to steal the relic and deliver it to Salem against my better efforts. She is extraordinarily powerful. All I have been able to do is slow her progress," Ozpin explained as the grip around his cane tightened. "Salem only needs one more relic before she can enact whatever she is planning."

"Salem already has three of the relics!?"

"Not quite. If Summer is allowed to return to Salem now, the witch will be in possession of _all_ the Relics. While you were causing a commotion and drawing the attention of the entire Kingdom, Salem sent Summer in to retrieve the final Relic, which she has succeeded in doing," Ozpin stated, his eyes hardening. Cinder's eyes widened while Pyrrha remained slightly confused. "However, there is another reason why she is here, specifically, confronting you two."

"And that is…?" Cinder asked hesitantly.

"The retrieval of the Fall Maiden's powers."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

A dark aura started to shimmer around the white cloaked assailant. The air around them started to electrify as the woman's power grew, showing no signs of stopping. This wasn't life energy they were sensing, it was something completely different. Pyrrha couldn't make heads or tails of it, and Cinder was starting to fear for her life. She had spent years trying to collect the Fall Maiden's power for herself, and the prospect that it was about to be ripped from her was terrifying. A single step from the humanoid Grimm sent tendrils of darkness through the ground.

Ozpin reacted instantly, slamming his cane into the ground. A burst of green energy was expelled from his body and tore through the battleground. Surprisingly, it did not affect either Cinder, nor Pyrrha. When the green energy hit the corrupted Rose, it forced her backwards with tremendous difficulty. It seemed she was able to resist the power of the ex-headmaster of Beacon Academy. Pyrrha was absolutely stunned as the humanoid Grimm in front of her managed to hold its ground, the green energy slowly pushing her back.

"Go!" Ozpin shouted. Pyrrha shot forward without hesitation, leaving Cinder behind in her wake. The red blur slammed directly into the white cloaked Grimm's midsection, sending it tumbling. Pyrrha sped after it, determined not to let it recover from her initial attack. Closing the distance, she twisted her body to deliver a kick to her opponent's side. However, as she did so, her leg passed right through its body as if it were never there. Pyrrha didn't even have time to react to the situation before pain exploded in her side. The afterimage faded, and the corrupted huntress countered with her own kick.

It felt like a knife had been plunged into her side. Her fight with Cinder had reduced her aura to almost nothing, and her semblance wouldn't help her in this situation. Pyrrha lost control of her body as she was kicked away, the familiar feeling of crashing through solid material was evident as her person ragdolled through a number of mistral homes. Luckily her energy was there to protect her body when her aura had failed her.

Blinking away the pain, Pyrrha tried to stand up, but found a weight placed on top of her. The corrupted huntress was mere seconds away from impaling her with its hand. Its foot was planted on her chest, restricting her breathing. She started to panic when the woman wasted no time summoning dark energy around her hand before thrusting its hand towards her heart. She held her breath as time slowed down. She couldn't believe how fast her opponent was! It had all happened within a few seconds!

A torrent of fire tore through the air and slammed into Summer Rose's body. Pyrrha suddenly found herself able to breath again as a wave of searing heat passed mere inches above her prone body. Cinder suddenly appeared at her side, reaching down and pulling Pyrrha to her feet. The amber-eyed half-Maiden examined Pyrrha's injuries for a brief moment.

"She almost killed you," Cinder exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. "If I hadn't-"

"I know!" Pyrrha cut the woman off as she turned her head towards Summer's source of dark energy. "We can talk about our alliance later after we survive this and take out this threat. I don't care what side you play for, but I certainly know you don't want to die here!" Pyrrha stated. Cinder felt her pride take a bit of a hit, but in this situation, her life was on the line. It was time to throw away her morals and work with the people she had tried to kill not six months prior.

"I absolutely can't believe I'm saying this, but I've got your back, Nikos."

"Good! Follow my lead!" Pyrrha took off towards Summer Rose, Cinder hot on her trail. A brief glance back to where Ozpin was standing told the half-Maiden that he was doing something with his energy barrier that continued to extend and surround the area they were in. What was the old man doing? He was just standing still! His energy was growing as was the barrier! Cinder turned back to see the corrupted huntress crawl out of the wreckage with a scowl on its face. Her eyes widened significantly, the realization striking her like a ton of bricks.

" _He's locked us in here with her! There is no escape. Either we all die, or we kill Salem's ace! I didn't take you for a gambling man, Ozpin…_ " Cinder thought with a growl.

Pyrrha swerved to the left, signaling Cinder to go to the right. They were going to attack two angles, something that Cinder was familiar with. With their combined power, it would make sense for them to be able to overwhelm their opponent, despite the strange abilities the abomination was displaying. She still couldn't make heads or tails of this strange dark energy she was sensing. Granted, she was still rather new to controlling her energy, but she liked to pride herself on the fact that she was a fast learner.

Pyrrha attacked the left side, while Cinder assaulted its right. The moment they struck the Grimm huntress was immediately on the defensive. They threw their attacks at lightning speeds, however, the monster was dodging and weaving through their attacks like they were moving through water. Streaks of white light followed her body movements, creating afterimages that caught every single attack.

The corrupted Rose suddenly turned, kneeing Cinder in her mid-section, momentarily winding her before disappearing in a flurry of white petals. She appeared behind Pyrrha and slammed both hands onto the back of the girl's neck. Pyrrha choked, a silent scream trying desperately to crawl out of her throat. She lost control of her energy and plummeted towards the ground. She hit the ground with a sickening crack, her shoulder dislocated with half her body buried in the ground.

Summer turned her attention back to Cinder, who had regained control of her body. The raven-haired girl raised her arms to block the oncoming attacks. The white cloaked Grimm wasted no time in beginning her onslaught. Pain erupted all over the Red Queen's body, her beautiful, signature red dress being torn to shreds as she continued to hold up as much energy as she could to protect her body. The darkness surrounded the Rose's hands, as if it were some kind of blade constructed out of energy. Every hit, Cinder could feel her energy being sliced away.

" _This is insane! She's a complete monster!_ "

Summer had no expression on her face, it was merely stoic. It was as if Salem were watching through its eyes. Cinder had no doubt in her mind now that her previous mistress was now out for her life. All the promises she had made to her, were now rendered utterly useless. Salem desired the powers she had collected, and she wouldn't rest until Cinder ceased to draw breath. It made her angry. The fury built inside of her the more pain that was inflicted on her. Her amber eyes started to glow fiercely as the pain started to dull.

" _I'm not dying here! If you want my powers, you're going to have to come and take them yourself!_ " Cinder raged, her thoughts spiraling out of control. Her power exploded, throwing back Summer's floating form. Winds and power poured out of her body like a raging volcano. Her eyes glowing like the sun, she shot forward to engage the corrupted huntress head on. Her energy, mixed with the power of the Maiden… her hands crackled with a power never seen before.

"You. _Will_. **Not**. **TAKE ME!** " Cinder's screams echoed as she slammed into the corrupted huntress with full force. She threw her attacks in a blind fury towards her opponent. Summer tired to raise her hands in defense, but the rage of her enemy broke through her guard every time she tried to form it. Black smoke rose from every wound Cinder inflicted on her pale form. "You hear me, Salem!? Send all the minions you like! I'll send them back in **PIECES!** "

Cinder buried her leg inside the stomach of the Grimm huntress, causing a black smoke to erupt from the woman's mouth. It was momentarily stunned as it tried to regain its balance in the air. Cinder noted absently that it wasn't using life energy to fly, and whatever it was, it was now showing signs of fatigue. She quickly summoned her twin swords and rushed the monster, intending on dismembering it. The abomination saw this and raised its arm in an attempt to defend itself. In her rage, Cinder closed the distance and sliced through the creature's arm like butter.

A strange, distorted mixture of a scream, both human and animalistic erupted from the abomination's mouth. Its eyes glowed silver before exploding, bathing the area in a white light. Cinder was blown away, her body dropping like a rock. She didn't know what had happened, but the rage she was feeling only seconds earlier was sapped, practically leached from her in a single moment. She hit the ground, pain coursing through her head like a raging river. She tried to push herself to her feet, only to realize that she couldn't see.

Her eyes were damaged, that much was obvious. She saw nothing but blackness, the panic once again was settling in.

Pyrrha managed to finally push herself to her knees, witnessing the battle from where she was kneeling. She saw Cinder's rage, and the monster's counterattack, to having its arm cut off. Cinder hadn't even screamed, but the moment she hit the ground, Pyrrha saw her body writhing in agonized pain. She was trying to push herself to her feet, but alas, her energy was dropping fast. Before Pyrrha even knew it, she was on her feet and running to Cinder's aid.

Summer Rose dropped to the ground, growling in anger. Her eyes glowing sickly silver. The black veins running all over the woman's body had thickened, and a disturbing black substance was pouring from her dismembered arm. She made her way over to the limb, that was lying motionless on the ground. Picking it up and attaching it. It was almost as sickening as what Cell had done. Black tendrils erupted from both the severed limb and the stump, reconnecting and knitting itself back together.

Ozpin dropped the barrier and appeared in front of Cinder's downed form just as Pyrrha arrived. His shocked eyes displaying something Pyrrha had never seen before. Disgust and horror. The redhead couldn't argue with what he seemed to be feeling, seeing as she was currently harboring the same feelings. It looked so _unnatural_ , as if the woman in front of her had been subjected to some kind of experimentation.

"What has Salem done to you, Summer?" Ozpin hissed under his breath. Anger flooded his body like never before. "Twisting such a kind soul into something so foul. I'm not even sure if I can save you."

"Killing her would be a mercy," Cinder hissed as Pyrrha helped her up. She threw one of Cinder's arms over her shoulder to support her. It seemed that all of her strength had left her. She was completely vulnerable to any kind of attack. If Summer were to attack now, there was a high possibility she would be able to retrieve Cinder's powers. "Whatever Salem has done to her, it killed her soul in the process. She's a walking puppet. She hasn't said a word since we started fighting."

"How are we supposed to kill something that can regenerate limbs like that? I have never seen a Grimm that is capable of regenerating that kind of damage!" Pyrrha voiced her concerns, her voice shaking. Ozpin reflected no fear in his eyes. He looked tired, and furious at the same time. It was as if he had seen this all before. Both his hands were balled, his cane slightly shaking, reflecting the anger that was coursing through his being.

"Fourteen years… Salem has been torturing you, twisting you into the very thing you swore to destroy. I've warned her… I tried _so_ hard to find a way we could live in peace. I _tried_ to find a way to _restore you_ ," Ozpin's words were barely audible now. If Pyrrha hadn't been listening intently, she might have missed them. Ozpin took a few steps forward, tendrils of green energy wrapping around him as he drew closer to Salem's pet, until he was only meters away from the abomination.

"I can see the truth now. There is nothing left of the woman I once knew. Only hatred lies in your heart now. So it seems I must put an end to your madness," Ozpin growled. He straightened up, his anger seemingly fading from his form. However, his energy escalated and began to produce a strong breeze. He placed his cane on the ground and glared at Summer's twisted form.

"I know you can hear me, Salem. So prepare yourself, because **I am tired of playing this game**." With his proclamation, his energy peaked and violently surged from his form. He was coated in a forest colored aura that danced around him like a burning flame.

Pyrrha was shocked at the energy she was sensing. She knew that only Gohan and Cell had ever displayed more raw power. Pyrrha and Cinder listened intently, the words the man had spoken carrying the weight of thousands of mistakes. Ozpin was old, no doubt about it, but it seemed that he had finally gotten sick of standing on the sidelines.

"My _**patience…**_ has run out. Enjoy these final hours of your twisted existence, because when I find you, I will make sure your existence in the realm of the living is snuffed out. Just like you have done to so many others."

The monster that wore the appearance of Summer Rose regarded Ozpin warily. It stood unnaturally still, as if the puppeteer manipulating the strings had stopped to contemplate the man's words. Both Cinder and Pyrrha waited with baited breaths as the abomination took a few steps back, as if it were suddenly scared by the fury of the older man's words. Slowly, it kneeled and placed two hands flat on the ground. A pool of darkness spread throughout the earth below her. She slowly started to sink into the darkness, glaring at Ozpin before disappearing entirely.

"W-Where did she go?" Pyrrha asked, hesitant to know the answer. Ozpin merely sighed before releasing his energy and turning to the two younger huntresses. His eyes regarded Cinder briefly, noting the small trails of blood seeping from her closed eyelids. It seemed she had suffered significant damage from the burst of Summer's silver eyes. She had always been proficient in using her gift, and that's what made her one of the most dangerous huntresses ever to graduate from Beacon.

"Returned to Salem, no doubt. We should retreat back to the Lookout for now. I have confidence that everyone else will be there."

"The what?" Cinder questioned, her mouth curving into a displeased frown. "Where are we going?"

"The Lookout. Gohan built it in the Forever Fall forest a couple of weeks before the Vytal Festival. It's almost like a second home," Pyrrha explained, unsure of whether or not it was a good idea telling someone like Cinder what it was. However, it seemed that Cinder had, for the most part, switched sides. She had not only saved her life, but had fought alongside her. It was a strange feeling to be allied with someone who had been trying to destroy you not too long ago.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about."

"You'll see when we get there."

"In case you haven't noticed," Cinder hissed, kicking Pyrrha's shin lightly, causing the girl to wince in pain. "I'm blind."

"I'm sure it will come to pass," Pyrrha reassured through grit teeth. Cinder was about to retort before she was cut off by Ozpin tapping his cane on the ground in front of them.

"You two can debate nonsense later. We must return to the Lookout. Gohan, Qrow, and the others should be there soon."

"I can't," Pyrrha blurted out. "My team is still back with those bandits. I have to get back there and help them."

"Fear not, Ms. Nikos. Gohan and Qrow have already intercepted them, along with Ms. Xiao Long and Ms. Schnee. Your team should be safely back at the Lookout shortly. That is why I am suggesting we return there before Salem, or any of her associates, decide to ambush us."

Part of Pyrrha wanted to question how the old man knew that. However, she knew she could trust him, seeing as he had never steered her wrong before. He was a wise man, and he wouldn't just say things to make other people do what he wanted. If he said her team was safe with Gohan and the others, then she was willing to believe him, despite how naive that sounded. She saw no reason for him to lie to her. Cinder, however, seemed less than thrilled.

"I suppose I am your prisoner then." Cinder stated bitterly.

"Oh no, Ms. Fall. Despite your obvious part in the downfall of my precious academy, you have shown which side you play for. I can tell, you hate Salem right now more than anyone. If anything, you are an ally… for now anyway," Ozpin stated with a rather calm expression. Cinder's eyebrows furrowed, despite her eyes being clenched shut. What could this old man possibly be playing at!?

"What? That's it? After all I've done and the people I've hurt -not to mention _killed_. I'm just your ally now? Why is it I don't sense any distrust in your words?" Cinder questioned in disbelief.

"Don't misunderstand, Ms. Fall. There **will** be consequences for you plotting to bring down Vale. However, we have more pressing issues than handing out punishment to disobedient _children_ ," Ozpin commented with a smirk. Cinder's teeth could have probably cracked diamonds at the older man's taunting words. "Your punishment will come in due time. If you help in bringing down Salem and destroying Cell, perhaps I can overlook a few of your _many_ crimes against the people of Remnant."

"Are you threatening _**me,**_ Old Man?" Cinder growled. Ozpin's features suddenly became deadly serious.

" **Yes, Cinder Fall.** " his tone sent chills down both Pyrrha and Cinder's backs.

" **I** _ **absolutely**_ **am.** "

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Okay! So the full story behind Mountain Glenn has finally been revealed. Some of you might have clued into this fact ages ago since Raven had Sixteen by her side for a long time. Naturally, I've included a slight OC here and I will admit, it's a bit lazy and a bit of a McGuffin. With Volume 5 coming out, I hesitated using Vernal instead of Amethyst but I wanted to stick to my 'No Volume 5 Aspects' in this story for the sake of keeping consistent with my plans.**

 **Salem now has all the Relics. That's rather unsettling. With all the chaos surrounding Remnant and the fear of Cell, it's allowed Salem to capture all the Relics without so much as a fuss. What are Ozpin and co. going to do now? Well, you're just going to have to wait and see. Be ready though, they're not going to waste any time!  
**

 **Blake has officially merged with the previous Guardian and is now in contact with King Kai!? Woah, pretty crazy how things are now speeding along. I wonder what kind of plans they will come up with to defeat Cell. Also, I wonder where he is? He's being awfully quiet… He can be quite reclusive when he wants to be.**

 **Once again, all your questions will be answered in the next few chapters, so I ask you to be a bit more patient. Since I'm so close to the end now, chapters might come a bit quicker than usual. My passion to write this story has never been stronger, so get ready for some awesome fight scenes coming up. I won't promise anything but I think you guys are in for some serious surprises!**

 **Catch you later guys!**


	20. Land of the Crimson Sky

**A/N:**

 **Hey dudes, back again with another chapter. This time at the penultimate chapter for the second arc. I'm excited to be moving into the third and final one. Just a quick update before we get into things.**

 **I'm still working on Pride of Four and planning out what I want to do with the story, while also working on another passion project that could end up replacing this story when it's finished. It's a Fairy Tail story with some inspiration from the latest God of War game. It's been pretty fun so far so I'll see where it goes. If you're interested, there's more information about it on my profile.**

 **You guys have been asking when you can expect the start of Volume one for Pride of Four, and I can safely say that I've written well past Initiation and getting close to the end of Volume one. Keep in mind things will be rather similar in terms of structure but with many different twists on them.**

 **So in terms of release dates… (which I'm honestly not good at keeping) I can say I can probably have the next Pride of Four chapter out in about two weeks? I'm not sure, so don't hold me to that, haha.  
**

 **Without further delaying, chapter twenty!**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty: Land of the Crimson Sky_

Finally, the time had come, after months of intense training in Otherworld.

Goku had made his way to the check-in station and left Ruby and Piccolo on King Kai's planet. The deal was made with Baba and King Yemma for Son Goku to return to the land of the living for twenty-four hours. It was a one-time thing and a huge privilege to receive, but after Goku's life-long good deeds, he deserved to be rewarded after his untimely demise. Once he was given permission to return to the living realm, he quickly made his way to New Namek where the remnants of the Namekians had returned after they had used the Dragon Balls to reverse all the damage Freeza had done.

Once he had arrived on Namek, he didn't waste any time confronting elder Moori about using the Dragon Balls. Seeing as they all saw Goku as the savior of their people, they had no qualms about him using the mystical artifacts. Luckily for him, they had already been gathered for safe-keeping amongst the large Namekian village.

The Namekians wasted no time in summoning the Eternal Dragon of Namek, Porunga's hulking mass loomed over the large peaceful plains as Goku waved in a jovial manner. The Earth raised Saiyan asked the elder to revive Ruby Rose and Piccolo for two of the three wishes he was allowed. They had offered to revive him as well, but unfortunately, Goku had explained that the Dragon Balls weren't able to revive him due to dying of natural causes, which Porunga confirmed. A tragic truth that the dead man had to accept.

The older Saiyan wasn't quite sure what to use the third wish for and ultimately because of this, chose to save it for another time. This meant that they would be able to summon the Dragon sooner rather than have to wait out time for the Dragon Balls to recharge and this was Namek, the time difference was much shorter than compared to Earth.

They might need it later due to the damage Cell could cause.

After Goku was finished, he used Instant Transmission to make his way to Earth, knowing full well that the moment the halos disappeared from both Ruby and Piccolo, the former would be using her knowledge of Instant Transmission to transport both herself, and Piccolo to Earth. Since Piccolo was revived, the elder Namekian, Kami would also be revived and it wasn't hard to sense out the ancient guardian's energy. Goku appeared on Earth's Lookout, just in time to witness Ruby and Piccolo phase into existence. Mr. Popo was utterly dumbfounded to see Piccolo and Goku again after so many years.

"Good to see you guys made it here in one piece," Goku commented with a smirk. Ruby gave him the thumbs up while Piccolo merely crossed his arms.

"She had trouble sensing Earth. King Kai had to point her in the right direction," the Namekian stated blandly. Ruby opened her mouth to protest but immediately shut it upon her cheeks reddening from embarrassment. She was just so excited to return to life after months of training in the afterlife. She had to admit, she could never have believed she was capable of the things she could do now. She had stepped into a whole new world, _literally_. Looking around the structure, she couldn't help but gawk at the size of it and how high up in the sky they were.

"Whoa… so this is Earth?" Ruby strolled over to the edge of the Lookout and peered over the side. Nothing but clouds, and flashes of green down below. They were so high up it was crazy to think something like this could even exist! It wasn't even connected to anything! It was floating from what she could see. "This place is… rather peaceful. It's hard to think this world has no Grimm. I still can't imagine a world without Grimm. I grew up hearing stories about them and spent a good deal of my childhood fighting them. It was common knowledge, just a fact we had to live with," the red-caped girl recounted, a sad look overcoming her face.

"Our world has its own fair share of evils," a new voice cut in. Everyone turned to see an old, wrinkled Namekian approach. Piccolo merely scowled as Goku waved. "It's good to see you all. After so many years, it's time we made things right. My name is Kami, Guardian of Earth. You are Ruby Rose, I take it?" Kami questioned. Ruby's eyes widened as she scanned the old darker Namekian. From what Goku told her, he and Piccolo shared a unique bond, having been one in the same a very long time ago. The two had split, Piccolo being the evil half, while Kami was the embodiment of good. It was so strange how such a thing could have happened. Piccolo didn't seem remotely evil. Sure, he had a temper, but he never seemed bad to her.

"Indeed she is, however, we're not here to make small talk," Piccolo stated seriously. He turned to Goku, his permanent scowl never leaving his face. "I think it would be best you use this time wisely. Both you and Ruby are the fastest here, so it would make sense you both go visit Bulma. Get the Dragon radar and recover the Dragon Balls. We will need them to clean up the mess Cell will make," the reformed Namekian finished. Goku nodded as he turned to Ruby.

"Come on, let's go. We can't waste any time," Goku said, powering up. Ruby nodded, a bright crimson aura lighting up around her. Goku shot into the sky, a crimson blur following after his white trail. Piccolo watched as the two zipped away from the Lookout as he turned back to Kami. The elder looked thoughtful as he mentally examined the damage the planet had received while they had all been dead. Human civilization had begun to rebuild, but even after almost fourteen years, there were still clear signs of decay that the androids had left in their wake.

Utter silence reigned over the Lookout as Piccolo turned away from Kami without another word and began to meditate.

The Saiyan and the silver-eyed warrior tore through the sky at impossible speeds as they closed in on their destination. West city was an astounding sight when it came into view. Ruby couldn't believe how big this city was, and not only that but the technology that this world possessed was incredible! It brought a smile to Goku's face when the city came into view.

Everything had been repaired and people were going about their business. The entire city was thriving, and Capsule Corporation couldn't have looked more pristine. As they closed in, a white aura exploded from the ground and rocketed up to meet them. Goku and Ruby came to a stop as a purple-haired adult came to a stop in front of them. The moment his eyes landed on Goku, they widened.

The purple haired teen wore a Capsule Corp jacket with a black singlet, black pants with a yellow belt, and black and yellow patterned combat boots. It took Goku a few seconds to figure out that this was Vegeta's son, born perhaps a couple of months before he died from his sickness.

"That hair… and that gi… n-no way! Are you, Son Goku!?" the boy asked. The Saiyan nodded and gave the boy a grin.

"You must be, Trunks! You've certainly grown. Gohan would be so proud of you if he could see you now," Goku grinned as Trunks's eyes shook in disbelief. He eventually ripped his gaze away from the dead Saiyan and looked towards Ruby. A scowl appeared on his face as Ruby nervously waved her hand to greet the boy. Goku saw this and raised his hand to calm the boy down. "Don't worry, she's with me. I've recently managed to gain a favor from King Yemma. He let me return to life for twenty-four hours to help out. Ruby was revived using the Namekian Dragon Balls, same with Piccolo. We were actually on our way to see Bulma," the Saiyan grinned. Trunks merely powered down, relaxing once he saw the halo above Goku's head.

"I can't believe it… it really is you," Trunks looked perturbed for a moment. "Forgive me, Goku, but help out with what exactly? The Earth has experienced over a decade of peace since the androids were dealt with. And why is it that Gohan didn't come back with you?" the young man's voice trailed off somberly.

"Gohan's on Remnant," Ruby stated bluntly, causing Trunks to look up towards her. His brows scrunched in confusion. "He's on my home planet. Somehow when he finished fighting the Androids here on your world, he ended up on Remnant and brought this horrible monster called Cell with him. Cell's an android that's been destroying our world and we can't seem to stop him," she explained. Trunks' eyes widened in horror, the thought of more androids running around sent chills down his spine. Now it was happening to another world and Gohan was in the center of it all! It made Trunks furious just thinking about it! The need to help his master exploded like a blazing inferno inside of him. All these years he had thought Gohan to have perished against the Androids!

"Damn… even after all these years, those monsters still live!" Trunks' fists turned white, his entire body shaking with anger. Goku gave the boy a look of understanding and sympathy.

"We need to see Bulma, Trunks. Can you take us to her? We need to get the Dragon Radar. With Piccolo revived, the Dragon Balls are active. I'm on the clock here and I still need to go home and see Chi-Chi," the Saiyan stated seriously. After a few moments of silence, Trunks straightened up and nodded.

"Yeah, sure! Follow me!" Trunks turned and flew back down to Capsule Corp while Ruby and Goku followed in the process. As the three entered the building, the younger Rose couldn't help but find herself fascinated at every turn. Scientists working relentlessly to develop new technology. She saw weapons, and other crazy gadgets as Trunks led the two through the various workshops. Clearly, after finding themselves at the mercy of the Androids for so long, these scientists must be hard at work developing technology capable of dealing with massive threats.

Walking into Capsule Corporation's primary laboratory, they were met with the jaw-dropping sight of technology. After the android threat had ended, Bulma had been busy developing as much futuristic technology as she could. She was occupying the large cluttered lab, dressed in an orange jumper covered in oil stains and wearing a baseball cap backwards. With her back turned to the two newcomers and her son, she was working furiously at a bench, tinkering with pieces of scrap metal and other gizmos that were hard to make out. Ruby felt like she was in a dream.

What kind of weapons could she make in a place like this!?

There were gadgets she couldn't even begin to imagine in here!

"Hey, Mom," Trunks called out. "There's uh… someone here to see you."

"Tell them to schedule an appointment. I'm busy crafting parts for my new project," Bulma stated as the look of concentration never left her face.

"Mom…? I don't think-"

"Trunks," Bulma warned in a rather annoyed tone. "You know how important my work is. I can't just drop what I'm doing to come out and talk with some random… person…" Bulma's words died in her throat as she had turned around to scold her son, only to see what seemed to be the impossible. Standing before her was none other than Son Goku. One of her best and most trusted friends from her childhood. The tools in her hands clattered to the ground with a resounding echo. Her eyes started to water. Her body quivered.

It had to be some kind of dream.

"Hey, Bulma!" Goku grinned, giving her a wave. "Long time no see, huh? It's good to see you're doing as well as I hoped."

"A-Am I dreaming?" her words were barely louder than a whisper but Goku caught them anyway.

"Nope! I'm right here Bulma. I'm-" Goku was cut off as Bulma crashed into him. He hardly moved due to her lack of strength, but nonetheless, he was rather surprised by the affectionate action. She had wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his iconic orange fighting clothes. She didn't whimper or make any kind of sound. Goku just smiled, wrapping one arm around her to comfort her. He could tell the years had been tough on her but she was strong. She always pulled through. Hell, she'd had a child with Vegeta. If she could do that then she could do _anything_.

"I can't believe you're actually back. I-I just can't…" Bulma couldn't find her words. The shock of seeing Goku after all of these years gave her a feeling she just couldn't describe. Safety and comfort. Happiness and all these other strange emotions just came crashing down on her the moment she saw her old friend again. Memories of the times they had spent together, renewed in seconds. Bulma slowly pushed off Goku and wiped her tears. Goku had a rather grim expression despite her clear joy.

"I'm not really back, Bulma. See the halo?" Goku gestured to the top of his head. She looked up to see the golden glowing circle that floated around his head. It wasn't exactly hard to tell what that meant. "I'm still dead and I don't think that's going to change. I've been allowed to come back for one day and I'm doing it because Gohan's in danger," Goku explained. Bulma's eyes widened at the news.

"Gohan is… still… alive?" she muttered as if the very structure of words confused her. After a few seconds, she shook her shock away and her expression was replaced with a more serious one. Goku was like a brother to her and when he died, it was traumatic learning that this time, his departure from the land of the living would be a permanent one. Gohan had been devastated and often spent a lot of time around Capsule Corporation. He was like a second son to her and eventually grew into a father figure that Trunks never had the chance to get.

If Gohan was still alive and he was in danger, there was nothing she wouldn't do to help him.

"Where is he?" Bulma asked. It was at this point where Ruby coughed slightly, drawing Bulma's attention to her.

"Er… hi, Ms. Bulma. I ah… believe I can answer that question," Ruby raised her hand like a child would to answer a question in class. Bulma's eyebrows raised when she looked Ruby up and down.

"I didn't even notice you standing there," Bulma said, ultimately causing Ruby to deflate. "I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"I'm Ruby Rose. I'm friends with Gohan. Kind of. I talked to him a few times," Ruby said, causing a brief silence to occur. She shuffled uncomfortably as Bulma and Trunks looked at her with slight intrigue and confusion. "I think my sister might be dating him."

"Right…" Bulma said turning back to Goku. "Why don't we discuss this over some food? I feel like this story might be a long one."

At the mention of food, Goku's features lit up.

"Food? Oh yeah! I haven't had any food from Earth for years! Sure!" Trunks couldn't help but blanch at the immediate one eighty Goku had performed at the mere mention of food. While Gohan had also become sidetracked at the thought of a home-cooked meal, he'd never seen his eyes light up as Goku's had.

Just that thought made Trunks realize how much he missed Gohan. His mentor was alive and well. He had long since given up hope of ever seeing him again but now, there was a chance he could finally talk to him again.

Excitement bubbled up inside of Trunks.

He had never felt more alive in years!

=/=

* * *

=/=

It wasn't long before Bulma and a few employees had cooked up a feast for the four. Goku and Trunks with their natural Saiyan appetite wolfed the food down without so much as a second thought.

Over the course of the meal, Bulma and Ruby talked about Gohan and what happened back on Remnant. Ruby recounted as much as she could remember, though her knowledge was limited. She recounted the events from the moment she met Gohan to the moment she died. Bulma's expressions changed throughout Ruby's tale. The red-caped girl summarized her experiences in Otherworld and why she came with Goku back to Earth.

Suffice to say, Bulma was nothing short of astounded.

"So yeah… here we are. I'm supposed to go back and help with the fight against Cell, but Goku said he would need my help here for a little while."

"That's quite a story Ruby!" Bulma exclaimed in amazement. "I'm sorry you and all your friends have to bear this burden. It isn't right for our mistakes to torment others."

"It's alright. We're strong. I've seen glimpses of what Gohan can do and it was beyond anything I could even think of! I'm sure we will be able to beat Cell and set everything right again," Ruby finished with a smile. Bulma smiled weakly at the young girl's optimism. It was the same kind of optimism that the Androids managed to step on and crush for so many hellish years during their genocidal rampage.

Bulma was about to open her mouth to reply to Ruby but was interrupted by a thunderous burp from Goku.

"Phew! That was amazing! I won't be forgetting Earth's food anytime soon! Thanks heaps, Bulma!" Goku exclaimed as he stood up to stretch. Bulma laughed, however, her expression then turned to one of disappointment. "You're going now, aren't you?" she said. Goku merely nodded, a sad look overcoming his features.

"It's been great to see you again, Bulma. After all these years in Otherworld, I haven't forgotten any of you that are still here. I wish I could stay, but I'm on a time limit. If I'm going to collect all the Dragon Balls and still have time to do other things, then I'm going to need to get moving!" Goku explained with a small smile. Bulma chuckled, shaking her head in amusement.

"I'm happy to see that you haven't changed at all, Goku."

"Thanks! You wouldn't happen to have the Dragon Rader lying around, would you?"

Bulma smirked as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a capsule. Popping it, the capsule revealed a small white device with a green screen on it.

"I always kept in on me, as sort of a memento. I would hate myself if I ever lost it. It was really the only thing I had that reminded me of our old adventures," she replied, handing it to Goku. The man took it with a nostalgic smile on his face. He clicked it a few times, the device sparking to life. It took a few moments to calibrate before seven glowing dots appeared around the edges of the green screen. It looked like there weren't any close by.

"Thanks heaps, Bulma," Ruby mimicked her mentor gleefully, standing up and walking to Goku's side. Peering onto the screen she got a good look at the directions they would be heading in.

"You take care now," Bulma warned the two of them. Goku smirked as he powered up to take to the sky. However, before he did, he stopped and looked back to Bulma.

"Hey… do you have any of Vegeta's old battle suits lying around?"

"Why?" Bulma asked quizzically.

"If everything plays out how I think it's going to, then I think we might need them."

"I'll ask again. Why?" Bulma replied with a curious look on her face. Even Trunks looked interested.

"You'll see," Goku grinned. Bulma rolled her eyes, a smile coming back to her features.

"You're always up to something aren't you, Goku?" Bulma groaned lightly, causing the Saiyan to laugh. "Well, to answer your question, yeah, I do. I keep them in a few capsules in the basement. How many do you need?"

"As many as you can find."

"Alright, well I'll get right on that."

"Awesome! Thanks Bulma! I guess I'll see you when I see you?" Goku called out as he took to the sky, Ruby following slowly behind him. Bulma and Trunks waved, the older woman chuckling as she did so.

"Hopefully not too soon! Take care you two!" she called out as the two flew off into the distance. While it dawned on her that this would be the last she would see her childhood friend in this lifetime, she had at least managed to give him a proper farewell. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She turned back to her son and with an extra pep to her step, they trekked into their home and began to prepare for whatever was coming.

As the two fighters flew across the land at groundbreaking speeds, Ruby began to think to herself. She had heard so much about these Dragon Balls, but she didn't even know what they looked like! How was she supposed to find something if she didn't even know what exactly she was looking for?

"So these Dragon Balls," Ruby started, turning her head slightly to look at Goku. "I only know what you've told me about them. I still don't know what they look like. Are they hard to find? How big are they? What do they look like?" she questioned. Goku chuckled as he gestured to the radar in his hand.

"They're actually pretty small. They'd be almost impossible to find without the radar," he replied simply. Ruby pouted slightly at such a vague answer, although her question wasn't much of a brain teaser to begin with. She was hoping he would expand a little on what exactly the Dragon Balls were. All he had said in Otherworld, was that the balls were magical artifacts capable of granting the one that finds all seven of them a single wish, and that wish could be anything. Naturally, her mind had wandered a bit at that piece of information, and all of her thoughts led back to her mother. It was shocking to learn that apparently, her mother was still alive, but that only led to the question of where she was and what she was doing.

Ruby often found herself lost in thought when she dwelled on her mother's fate. She didn't remember the day too well, but she remembered the surge of emotions that dragged her down into a state of unhappiness the moment her father had broken the news to her. Qrow had been there as well, looking worse for wear. Her mother was gone, and she was likely never coming back. Out on a dangerous mission, and paid the ultimate price for seeing that mission through until the end. However, as it turns out, she had still been alive that entire time! Her only questions that remained were, where was her mother now, and why she hadn't come home!? Although, as much as she wanted answers, that the Eternal Dragon could undoubtedly give, there were much higher things at stake.

As she and Goku traversed the peaceful world known as Earth, she couldn't help but wish that Remnant was more like this world. No Grimm at all for as far as the eye could see. All this time flying over the land, and she saw nothing of the black monsters that preyed on humanity. Scouring the Earth to find the Dragon Balls had been an experience for her. She got to see all the corners of the planet, from scorching deserts to bone-chilling glaciers. She couldn't imagine trying to find these artifacts without the neat little gadget that Bulma had created. It would take decades of searching, just to find even a couple! The wish must have been worth it in the end.

"Hey… Goku?" Ruby questioned, as the two were flying back to the Lookout with their bags filled with all seven of Earth's Dragon Balls. The full-blooded Saiyan turned his head to acknowledge her question. The girl looked nervous, an unsure expression stretched across her face. "Is it… Is it okay to be afraid to face Cell? I can't help but shake a little when I think about fighting him again," she stammered a bit. The older man was silent, a thoughtful look crossing his face. It was clear he had never had this kind of problem before, being a Saiyan and all. He lived and breathed battle. The only time he ever shook was in excitement.

"Dying is a scary experience, Ruby. I wouldn't be surprised if you were afraid to go up against the person who was responsible for killing you. All you can do is make sure you're strong enough to withstand them the next time you meet. Always look forward to the next challenge. That's the way I look at it," Goku explained with a smile. Ruby sighed and gave a weak smile in response.

She still couldn't believe how much she had changed since dying. Her perception of reality and life itself had been flipped on its head and it only got more complicated when she learned that her mom was still alive. Now she was back, and ready for anything. She felt like she could take on the world and win, but Ruby knew that Cell could still easily beat her if she were to face him.

"I guess that's the only thing I can do…" Ruby laughed a little. "I need to get back and help my team, and my friends. I can't leave them to battle Cell all on their own. Even if Gohan is strong enough to face him. I want to be there to support him, and everyone else important to me," she finished, showing her determination.

Goku gave a supportive nod, agreeing with what she had said. He too had very similar feelings. Goku wasn't about to call himself a hero, even if people saw him as one. He loved to fight, and that just happened to help when protecting people from threats.

Before the older Saiyan could respond, the Lookout came into view. Speeding up, the two flew towards the giant floating structure and touched down. Piccolo, Kami, and Trunks were already waiting there as the two landed. As Ruby and Goku deposited the Dragon Balls in a small circle, the three approached them, Trunks looking at the Dragon Balls with intrigue in his eyes.

He had never seen them before, seeing as they had been inactive up until a couple of hours ago.

"So these are the Dragon Balls… I take it we aren't going to use them yet?" the purple haired adult voiced. He looked around for confirmation, mainly towards Ruby, seeing as her planet was the one that was currently in danger. However, it was Kami that gave him the answer.

"As much as we would like to use them to revive the others, there is a more pressing issue at hand. I'm sure everyone would understand. We need to keep the Dragon Balls functional, in case Gohan and everyone else on Remnant are killed by Cell. I have no doubt Earth would be his next target should Remnant be destroyed. Should Cell be destroyed before then, the Dragon Balls can be used to revert all the damage Cell has caused," Kami explained. "So no, we will not be using them just yet. It's good to have them on hand regardless."

"Woah…" Ruby gasped, thinking about the extent of the damage Cell had caused. Beacon would be fixed, and so would Vale! All those killed by Cell would also return to life, and that meant Penny would come back as well! The mere idea of that brought about a stronger surge of determination to boost her mood. "I still can't believe that the Dragon Balls can do something like that. It almost seems too good to be true!"

"Yes, they do come in handy in unfortunate situations such as this one. There is still one problem," Piccolo pointed out. "Should I, or Kami die, then the Dragon Balls once again become inert. That means I will not be following Ruby back to Remnant. As much as I wish to help Gohan, I cannot risk dying again, otherwise this entire venture would have been pointless. Earth needs someone to defend it, should Remnant fall. That means Trunks will also be staying here," Piccolo finished, eying the son of Vegeta. The reaction was immediate, and the boy turned to glare angrily at the wise Namekian.

"What!? No way! I'm going back with Ruby to help Gohan! There's no way he can beat Cell on his own! I can help! I've learned how to transform while he's been away! I won't be a burden to him anymore!" Trunks vehemently stated. Piccolo merely shook his head, causing Trunks to growl. After all this time, he finally had a chance to return to his mentor and fight alongside him, but Piccolo was holding him back!?

The offspring of Vegeta couldn't fathom why. However, a few moments of silence gave the boy an opportunity to think things through and calm down. Piccolo's words finally reaching him. The Namekian didn't want to fight alone, and realistically, after Goku had used up all his time, Trunks would be the only person that could help the green warrior.

"I know how much you want to see Gohan again. Believe me, so do I, but there are more important things at stake here. If we charge in without a plan, then Cell might kill us before we have the chance to kill _him_. He has all of our cells, and that makes him more of a threat than Freeza ever was. If he achieves his perfect form, there's no telling how strong he could become. It's best to stay here and revive Gohan and the others should they perish in the fight against Cell," Piccolo once again explained. Trunks merely bowed his head, angry that he couldn't help his mentor, but accepting in the fact that this was the smartest move.

"So uh… I can go back home now?" Ruby cut in awkwardly. She received nods of agreement in response. "Okay. I guess I should get going. The sooner the better, right?"

"Yeah," Goku responded. "I will be following, but I need to see my wife first. I never got the opportunity to say goodbye when I died. The least I could do for her is to see her one last time before I'm due to return to Otherworld. Don't wait up for me Ruby!" Goku exclaimed as he used Instant Transmission to transport himself to his wife. Everyone present watched as Goku vanished from the spot. Ruby lifted her hand to her forehead to mirror his actions. Her extensive training in energy sensing and control from Piccolo had helped tremendously. Not to mention her physical power she had received from training with Goku. She was ready to fight more than ever!

"Good luck, Ruby," Piccolo said. "Give Gohan my regards. I hope to see him soon."

Ruby nodded, her silver eyes flashing slightly as she focused her mind. Closing her eyes, her senses explored the universe around her. Feeling out traces of energy that were familiar. After a while, it wasn't hard to pinpoint the familiar energy signatures from Yang, Gohan, and Blake. She could even sense Weiss and Pyrrha slightly. Gohan stood out the most, being the most powerful of the group. However, she knew she needed to pick up something first before she was ready to return to the battlefield. Searching out another energy that was far smaller than the others, she was able to lock onto it.

Her eyes snapped open.

"Gotcha," she murmured. Raising a hand, she waved goodbye to Piccolo and Trunks.

She vanished from sight, rose petals falling to the ground from whence she stood.

Ruby Rose was coming home, and this time, she was _ready_.

=/=

* * *

=/=

"What is this place?"

Raven couldn't contain her fascination when the group had landed on the Lookout. They had since left the Bandit encampment a few hours ago, opting instead to return to the Lookout to commune about their next move. Raven had explained to her lieutenants that she'd be gone for some time and that they would be temporarily placed in charge of what to do with their tribe.

The Branwen tribe was certainly difficult to follow, and none of them would go behind Raven's back after witnessing the power she had acquired. However, she still had that responsibility sitting on her shoulders. Even now, she was still wondering if she should return to them, or at least attempt to try and build a life with her daughter.

Yang had grown into a powerful young woman, someone who should never be crossed. Raven hadn't been certain at the time, but when she and Yang fought, the mother had a feeling that Yang would be the one to win out in the end, as much as her pride denied it. There was a small part of her that accepted her loss to her daughter.

Knowing that her own flesh and blood managed to defeat her in combat was something she wasn't sure how to feel about. On one hand, she remembered the day she had given birth to the weak, little bundle of joy that had now grown up to be one of the most powerful people on Remnant, and how she despised weakness. On the other hand, she had a deep-rooted love for her daughter, and a desire to maintain a bond with her.

However, her lifestyle just didn't allow that. She was a murderer, and she belonged with her tribe.

"The Lookout!" Yang grinned as she landed next to her mother. The place still looked the same as it always did. She was thankful that no one had managed to destroy it yet. No Grimm would dare fly this high, and no airship had the technology to get to this altitude anyway. The only person they had to worry about destroying this place was Cell, and he hadn't been seen for months. "My home away from home, per say. I would show you around, but there's not much to see. Besides, we're not here for sightseeing."

"Agreed," Qrow started. "Since the majority of us are here, I think it's best we come up with a strategy for dealing with Salem. I figured since we have the power and numbers, we could overwhelm her. I would do it myself, but Salem is unpredictable. She has powers that I don't understand… and you can never be too careful," he explained as he crossed his arms. Everyone present seemed to murmur in agreement. Jaune, Ren, and Nora were still rather sore from being carried to the Lookout for the last couple of hours and had opted to sit down to rest. Yang, Weiss, and Gohan were still keeping an eye on Android Sixteen, who had tagged along silently with Raven.

"Taking out Salem while Cell is in hiding? I like that idea. It's one less problem to deal with when he shows his face. I still don't like how quiet he's being. Almost an entire year and no sign of him anywhere. No Kingdom has reported any signs of him. He's laying low, waiting for an opportunity to strike and reach his perfect form. We should take out Salem before he makes his move," Gohan suggested. Yang snarled, cracking her knuckles in the process.

"And when he does show his face, I'm going to make sure he's nothing but a red mist by the time I'm through with him," the blonde growled. Raven snorted, causing the brawler to frown angrily.

"As strong as you have gotten, you're still no match for Cell. He is above all of us save for, _you_ ," the black haired woman stated, pointing directly at Gohan. "As much as it hurts my pride, we are only powerful enough to serve as distractions while you find a way to put down that monster."

"That's what you think. I was holding back most of my power when I was fighting you!" Yang shot back. Raven balled her fists but held her tongue. She was well informed of her daughter's boastful attitude and her absurdly high confidence. However, if there was one thing that Raven knew about her daughter, it was that she was no liar. Whether or not Yang was overestimating her own abilities, was irrelevant. Yang was definitely stronger than she was now, but she highly doubted that she was anywhere close to Cell, or Gohan's level. Those two titans had displayed strength and power comparable to Gods during their battle in Vale.

"Let's not argue about something so trivial," Weiss cut in. "Salem is a clear threat, and if we have the opportunity to deal with her, we should take it. What matters is our plan of attack. We clearly have the power advantage, but if what Qrow says is true, we have to be mindful of what she is capable of. Does she have any associates we should know about?"

"I only know of Dr. Watts," Raven stated, drawing the attention towards herself. She noticed the angry looks that the remnants of JNPR were giving her. Qrow still wasn't sure what to think about that revelation, seeing as he had been the one to let Cinder escape with her life. She wasn't a threat as far as he could tell, but he would never have imagined that she'd end up in Raven's palms.

"Let's just hope they haven't killed each other," Qrow growled, glaring at Raven. She had quickly become used to being the center of everyone's anger. The only possible friends she had here were Yang and Qrow, but family couldn't be considered friends. She had a feeling they were only tolerant of her, because of their blood ties.

"Fortunately, they haven't."

Everyone turned to the new voice that appeared on the Lookout.

Professor Ozpin touched down with Pyrrha, followed by Cinder shortly after, who looked slightly flustered from the long flight. She still hadn't gotten used to such long periods of flying. Using her energy so much lately had drained her, but she was lucky she recovered quickly. She wasn't sure if that had something to do with her natural talent for controlling power, or if it was something to do with her half-maiden powers. She had a feeling it was related to both those cases.

Once she had caught her breath, she blinked away the pain in her eyes, her aura finally having healed the damage that was done to her vision. Surveying the area, her eyes landed on Weiss Schnee and immediately, she felt an itch within her very soul.

Weiss stared back at her, their gazes betraying curiosity and intrigue.

The two were locked in a stare for what seemed like an eternity.

A connection building between them, something so artificial that they could practically see it. It was as if the bond they shared inside of each other was trying to reach out and piece itself back together. Something was almost… compelling them to join as one single entity. Both Cinder and Weiss had to vehemently ignore and push that feeling aside as they broke eye contact. It was strange, sharing a half of someone else's soul. It definitely wasn't natural, so both easily came to the conclusion that the Fall Maiden's power was trying to bring itself back together.

"Ozpin," Qrow scoffed as he unfolded his arms, a scowl appearing on his face. "Where the hell have you been? You disappeared for months without a damn word. I had my doubts but I almost believed you to be dead."

"Thankfully, death has not claimed this body yet. We all have much to discuss. Salem has all the Relics."

"WHAT!?" Raven and Qrow exploded almost in unison, both their eyes wide and exerting an uncharacteristic amount of fear. Everyone else was at a loss, confused at what that meant. Gohan and Yang merely shared a look while Weiss and Pyrrha looked nervous. The rest of JNPR just looked confused. Everyone present had a fair idea of what the maidens were, after being through all that they had, it was hard not to. However, now there were relics in the playing field? Just how powerful were they, to elicit such a reaction out of Qrow and Raven like that!?

"Yes, we have a lot to be afraid of. Not only that, but the very person responsible for collecting all of the relics is Summer Rose," Ozpin stated, letting that piece of information sink in. Yang's eyes widened while Qrow scowled in disbelief. It was as if his entire world was shattered into a million pieces.

Ozpin had the tendency to do that to people and Qrow thought he had seen it all. Yang's head slowly fell, trying to process that information while Qrow's anger started to bubble. Raven just looked guilty, knowing that she was the one ultimately responsible for delivering Summer to Salem's palm.

"Salem has twisted her into something less than human. She holds the last two maiden's souls inside of her. _She_ is Salem's trump card."

"You have _got_ to be **_KIDDING ME!_** " Qrow snarled viciously. It wasn't directed at Ozpin, or anyone in fact.

"Who is Summer Rose?" Weiss whispered quietly to Gohan and Yang. The blonde girl had opted to wrap her arm around Gohan's, seeing as her emotions were starting to run hot. Another family member in her life that had gone missing, only to turn out to be playing for the evil side. First Raven, now Summer. It was something she would never have considered in a million years. How could Summer still be alive after what Raven had told them? Salem must have found her broken form and turned her into a puppet! It was enough to make Yang's blood boil, but it was nothing compared to the rage Qrow was displaying. He looked ready to _butcher_ someone.

"Summer is Ruby's mother and Yang's stepmother. Like you heard from Raven, she was assumed to be dead after the Mountain Glenn incident," Gohan explained. "Now it looks like she isn't as dead as everyone thought she was."

"As much as I would _love_ to watch you all wallow in misery," Cinder started, getting a murderous look from Qrow. "If we're planning on attacking Salem, now would be the most opportune time. I have already dealt with Tyrian myself and Doctor Watts is stuck in Mistral. That leaves Salem with two people. Hazel and Adam Taurus, who is apparently the new Leader of the White Fang. The things you hear when you're locked in a cell..." she finished shooting Pyrrha a glare. The scarlet-haired girl rolled her eyes and looked away.

"As much as it pains me to say it, Ms. Fall is right," Ozpin continued, causing the elegant woman to scowl. "Salem cannot be allowed to have all the Relics. Those four weapons wield the power to break the boundaries of reality itself. If we don't strike now, there is no telling what will happen to Remnant in the coming days," the ancient professor stated.

The group was rather silent as they contemplated the situation they had landed in. Cell was still hiding in the shadows and now Salem had the means to make herself a legitimate threat. Gohan couldn't help but stray his attention away from the biomechanical monster. Salem now seemed like the more obvious threat.

"Break the boundaries of reality'?" Gohan questioned with a confused look on his face. "I'm not sure I follow what you mean by that. If we are going to strike now, we need to know what those Relics are capable of."

There was a tense silence as everyone turned to Ozpin for answers. Even he looked unsure about what they could do. They were mystical artifacts, and only imagination could limit what they were capable of.

"The Relics are magical artifacts. Like the maidens, they possess extraordinary magical power. Each one was held within each Kingdom, kept safely apart and away from people who would likely use the power for evil. I have been guarding these relics for as long as I have lived and even I do not know what they are capable of. They exceed any power created by the maidens. All I can say, is that their power is purely magical. Strength and power have no hold over them. We must be cautious," Ozpin explained. Gohan merely frowned, as did the entire group. He couldn't help but wonder if the relics held some of the same capabilities as Dragon Balls. If that were the case, then Salem would be an even larger threat than he had anticipated.

"So what's our plan of attack then?" Yang queried. "I like the idea of brute force. Straight through the front door, she'll never expect it."

"I have to agree," Raven cut in. "A full frontal assault is the best course of action."

"Of course," Weiss rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Don't know why I thought you two would think differently, but that clearly isn't the case."

"There's eleven of us here. It's a bit foolish if we all go, especially those three," Qrow gestured to Ren, Nora, and Jaune. The latter scowled at the man. "They hardly have the training the rest of us do. I think it would be best if the eight of us went. Who knows what kind of power Salem is toying with now? For all we know, the Relics have the power to kill Gods," the drunkard finished blandly. Pyrrha turned to her team and gave them a sympathetic look. They seemed to understand the stakes, and if she were being honest with herself… they would just get in the way. She loved Jaune too much to let him risk his life when it wasn't necessary.

"Where's Blake?" Gohan asked, looking around as if suddenly noticing the cat faunus's absence. Weiss cleared her throat to answer the question on behalf of her absent teammate.

"Still in Menagerie. She's visiting her family from what she told me. There were instances where I could sense a spike in her power from here, but overall, I think she's fine," the Ice Queen commented. "Do you think we should wait for her? She is among the most powerful here," she reasoned. Before anyone could retort, Cinder scoffed and waved the girl off. Weiss returned her gaze to the flame princess, an icy glare connecting with her burning amber eyes.

"It would be best if we leave now. Waiting for your friend gives Salem more time to figure out how the Relics work. The sooner we attack, the faster we can kill her. Then we can direct our attention towards the bigger threat. You know, the one who is capable of destroying our entire world without even breaking a sweat. If we can, we should take the Relics for ourselves, and use them against Cell," Cinder suggested with a curl to her smile. It sent uneasy chills down everyone's backs, and Gohan couldn't help but make the comparison to Vegeta.

If Vegeta was a woman, Cinder would definitely fit the bill. The girl was practically obsessed with power. However, he could not deny she had a point. Those relics would prove useful against Cell.

"That's not a bad idea," Raven smirked. "If these Relics are as powerful as we think they are, then using them against Cell would be the best course of action."

"Let's try and figure out how we're going to beat Salem first, before we start discussing tactics on defeating Cell," Pyrrha cut in, a scowl forming on her features. "I'd prefer we don't get ahead of ourselves. We are wasting enough time here as it is. We should be dealing with this threat now before it's too late," the Amazon warrior declared, having heard enough of the conversation. All they were doing was standing around. These discussions were clearly heading nowhere. A grunt from Qrow drew everyone's attention to him. He was already walking towards the edge of the Lookout.

"Alright then. I'll meet you guys over there. When you're ready, we can confront her together. I'd rather not waste any time. Salem has been a thorn in our sides for far too long. We finally have the power to deal with her. Let's make good use of it before we lose our chance altogether," Qrow stated. Before anyone could say anything, he transformed and exploded off the Lookout, a white aura circling his bird-form. In seconds, he was out of sight and lost to the horizon. It was a little stunning to everyone present, aside from Ozpin and Raven. The latter merely sighed as she got up and also headed towards the edge.

"I agree with my brother, for once. I think it's time Salem retired from this world. She has plagued it for far too long. I'll meet you all there, don't be late," she finished lazily before mirroring her brother's actions. "Sixteen. Stay here and ensure those who are not following are kept safe. I will not risk you in this fight against Salem, despite your power. We will need you to combat Cell," she finished. The android merely nodded and returned to standing silently, observing the interactions absently.

Before long, Raven was gone, vanishing into the horizon leaving a pale white trail of energy in her wake. Ozpin couldn't help but sigh while Cinder merely chuckled to herself. The Branwen siblings weren't ones to sit around and patiently plan their next move. They were people of action, especially Raven. Qrow tended to be more methodical, but it seemed after Ruby's death, he had become more proactive and less hesitant.

"So much for a plan of action," Weiss groaned. "Are we really just going to waltz up to Salem and expect everything to go our way? I can't help but think this is a ridiculously flawed idea. We need a game plan," the Schnee princess finished. She got looks of agreement, but at the same time, nobody was really saying anything. Gohan merely ran a hand through his hair, thinking up a possible game plan. However, he had never fought against magic before. He wasn't quite sure he knew how to plan around that. His allies from Earth, especially his father, never really had plans when going up against enemies.

With Freeza, they just kind of dived right into the deep end and hoped for the best. With the Androids, they fought as hard as they could, but inevitably, they were beaten. How can you plan against something you know nothing about?

"I'm not sure planning against something like this would help anyway," Gohan stated, drawing Weiss's attention. She couldn't help but scowl at him for saying something like that. "If the Relics are magical in origin, there's nothing really we can do to anticipate what kind of power they will have. Ozpin said they have extraordinary magical power. The best thing we can do is react to whatever they are capable of when confronting them," the half-Saiyan finished. The silver-haired professor merely nodded in response. Pushing his glasses back, he cleared his throat.

"Planning, while it seems like the most logical thing to do, cannot be done efficiently in this situation. I have made plans, created obstacles and manipulated people for the betterment of mankind. However, I see no way to anticipate what Salem plans to do with these Relics when we attack. The best course of action, as Gohan stated, is to react accordingly when we confront her," the man finished.

"This is stupid!" Weiss exclaimed. "We'll be walking into a trap with no plan of action!"

"Oh hush," Cinder rolled her eyes at Weiss's outburst. "There's eight of us. The Relics may be powerful, but I highly doubt she'll manage to take all of us on. You're overthinking this too much. Let us be on our way before we lose our chance," Cinder finished, turning and walking towards the edge of the lookout. A flaming molten gold aura erupted around her. She took off from the Lookout, speeding away into the distance, following both Raven and Qrow's energy trail. The third to leave, and still, they had yet to come up with a proper plan, something that was looking bleaker by the minute.

"I understand your concern, Ms. Schnee, but we are running out of time. I know it to be foolish, but the longer the Relics are in her hands, the more dangerous she will be. We must act now. We have the advantage of numbers, and raw power on our side, something that we have _never_ had before. The Grimm are nothing but annoyances to people like us. It's time we take full advantage of our destructive capabilities, and put an end to her reign once and for all," the professor turned, walking slowly to the edge. The tone of his voice had grown cold and unforgiving.

"Salem has eluded me too many times. Today, is the day she falls."

He vanished from sight, right before their very eyes. To Gohan and Yang though, his speed was very visible. The professor was already over the horizon before Pyrrha and Weiss had even opened their mouths to question the man. Weiss sighed angrily, her fists balled forcing her knuckles to turn white. A silver aura appeared around her as she also took off, flying into the distance. Gohan and Yang watched as she rocketed towards the horizon following the energy of everyone else. It appeared as though they were all heading towards the badlands north of Vacuo. An entire continent deemed too dangerous for man to explore. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Salem had claimed that territory as her own.

"We shouldn't keep them waiting," the son of Goku voiced. Yang turned to him, her lilac eyes stared into his own. Almost in unison, their auras slowly sparked and engulfed them. They both waved goodbye to the Remnants of team JNPR before giving Pyrrha a small nod. Without another word, the Saiyan and his blonde-haired partner shot off into the distance, leaving Pyrrha standing there with her team. She gave them a guilty look before Jaune came over and placed a reassuring hand on Pyrrha's shoulder.

"I don't want to leave you guys behind… but, this will be a dangerous fight. This is more than just Grimm-"

"We know," Ren cut in, a look of understanding on his face. While he completely understood, Nora looked rather upset, despite keeping quiet. "While it pains us to stay here, we know this fight is out of our league. We would only get in the way," the level-headed boy explained. Nora perked up, a smile appearing on her face.

"You just make sure you kick ass for all of us, okay!?" she called out. Pyrrha's expression broke into a smile as she nodded. Nora gave her a thumbs up as the redhead turned her attention to Jaune. His deep blue eyes had never seemed so enticing before. She could lose herself for days in them. When this was all over, there wasn't a doubt in her mind she wasn't going to drag him out on as many dates as she could. She loved this boy, and somewhere inside of her, she knew he felt the same way.

"Jaune… I-"

She lost herself when Jaune pulled her in and slammed his lips against hers. She could hear the gasps from Ren and Nora standing behind him. Her emotions were sent spiraling out of control as Jaune passionately shared his feelings with her. A few tears escaped her eyes as she was filled to the brim with happiness.

She was right!

He did love her!

All that time at Beacon she had been constantly trying to get his attention, and now… he finally seemed to be returning her feelings. The amount of physical pain she felt when he looked Weiss's way was absurd, but after all this time, he finally saw her for who she really was.

Pyrrha Nikos, madly in love with Jaune Arc.

When the two parted, Jaune retained a serious look in his eyes.

"Come back to us."

Pyrrha nodded, tears of joy flowing down her face. She already knew her answer.

"I will."

=/=

* * *

=/=

The stench of evil was more evident than it had ever been before.

Gohan had never really given Salem all that much thought, seeing as the Grimm were hardly a threat to him, but he had to acknowledge the evil energy he sensed coming from this place. A barren wasteland of obsidian rock, Dust, and other strange substances. The sky was pitch black, protected heavily by thick layers of dark pink clouds. It was a forsaken land, and despite it being during the day, the place seemed to be stuck in a perpetual hell of eternal night.

It wasn't a good feeling flying into this place.

He felt like he was being watched, and no doubt everyone else thought the same thing. Grimm were hiding in every corner, watching with careful crimson eyes as they flew towards the small castle that rested atop of a cliff, overlooking the rest of the wasteland.

Set just behind the castle, a large open clearing was where Qrow and Raven had arrived. To everyone's surprise, the Grimm Queen herself was sitting opposite of the Branwen siblings, on a throne made of obsidian crystals. Once everyone had arrived with Pyrrha being the last to touch down, the woman smirked as she eyed the entire group up, her hate-filled eyes lingering on her previous subordinate, Cinder Fall. Amusement never left her face as her gaze finally rested on Ozpin, the older man looking at her curiously. Salem had done away with her robe and replaced it with a more armored dark dress.

"A full frontal attack…" Salem mused with a smirk. "How daring, Ozpin. I would be lying if I said I wasn't expecting it," she chuckled, shifting slightly in her chair and crossing her legs in a calm, confident manner. All around them, Grimm of all different sizes surrounded the clearing but refused to move in. Salem didn't seem to mind. This was her domain after all, she had the power here to control each and every single one of the Grimm.

So why were they waiting?

These thoughts continued to rise in Gohan's mind as he eyed the group's surroundings. Even if they tried, the Grimm weren't exactly going to stop them from leaving or retreating. However, the sense of being watched had multiplied since landing.

"That would be quite evident," Ozpin shot back. At that moment, a puddle of darkness formed to Salem's left and rose until it was the size of her throne. Walking out came the form of Summer Rose, twisted and changed beyond recognition. Both Raven and Qrow's glares amplified as the woman stood next to Salem silently, staring off towards the group, but not registering any of them.

It was as if she were staring into space.

Gohan frowned when he realized he could sense some of his own energy infused within this being along with Cell's. What was strange about this situation, was that Salem seemed to have no one else on her side, something that Cinder was quite eager to point out.

"Where are the rest of your associates?" Cinder questioned. Salem merely sighed as she turned her attention away from Cinder to gaze at the Relic on her finger as if she hadn't a care in the world. The gesture infuriated the Cinder to no end.

"They have since outlived their usefulness. Tyrian is dead, Doctor Watts remains in Mistral, and Hazel has fulfilled what I required of him. Don't fret, he isn't dead. I've provided him with exactly what he needs to survive what I plan to do with this world. He has served me loyally, and thus, has earned his reward… unlike you," Salem's eyes burned as she turned her attention back to Cinder. The younger woman started to sweat as she took a step back. Despite having all the power she gained, the mere presence of Salem still terrified her. "Cinder Fall."

"You had no intention of keeping me alive," the girl hissed back. "You just wanted me to get the Fall Maiden powers so you could feed me to your… your _pet_!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Salem waved off, turning to Summer. The abomination in question did not register any form of words and continued to stand uncharacteristically still and silent. "I wasn't planning on killing you. While you would not keep your Maiden powers, I had other plans for you, but I digress. This is clearly not the case anymore. I have to say… I wasn't expecting you to change sides so quickly. I can't imagine you running with your tail between your legs to Ozpin. How pathetic you must have looked," Salem laughed. Cinder's eyes burned at the taunts, but a soft hand landed on her shoulder. Cinder turned to find Weiss looking at her with eyes colder than steel.

"Don't let her provoke you so easily."

Cinder swiped the hand off her shoulder and crossed her arms. She quickly turned her head and looked away, annoyed that she had shown such weakness in front of her former master. All she could see was Salem's smug smirk as she turned back to glare at the Grimm Queen.

"I don't need your advice, Princess."

"Adorable," Salem cooed sarcastically. "To think all of you would really have the guts to attack me here. I have been preparing for this moment for centuries, Ozpin. How I've waited to see humanity crumble before my very eyes. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life. The day humanity falls. It couldn't have come sooner," Salem preached. Qrow and Raven growled almost simultaneously as they drew their weapons, their energy erupting around both of them.

All Salem did was relax back into her chair and wait. They all knew there was something up with her, and her confidence was far too boastful.

It must have been something to do with the relics.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to Summer," Qrow hissed. Without another word, the Branwen siblings dashed forward to initiate the offense. With a slight gesture from Salem, Summer launched forward and met Qrow head-on in combat. The man was met with overwhelming resistance, however, Raven zipped on past and thrust her sword towards Salem.

Before it could even reach the witch, the crimson sword collided with an invisible barrier. Sparks flew as Raven fought with an imperceptible force. Salem laughed as Raven retreated slightly and threw a medium size ki-blast at her. To everyone's surprise, the strange invisible force seemed to completely swallow the blast without any signs of difficulty.

"It can absorb energy attacks," Gohan mused as the rest of the group stood back to observe. Who knew what Salem had up her sleeve? If they all charged in to attack, then they might fall into a trap! Salem could be able to deal with them all at once, and neither Gohan nor Ozpin was willing to risk that. None of them knew the full extent of Salem's abilities, and there was no telling what she could do now that she had all the relics. It was starting to seem like this invisible barrier was a product of one of the relics. "This could be troublesome. It resists physical attacks, and absorbs energy based attacks."

"Let's test the extent of that, shall we?" Weiss smirked as she flew up into the air. Taking aim at Salem, she charged up an energy blast, infusing her Maiden powers into it before discharging it. Shielding their eyes, everyone present watched as the oversized energy wave crashed into Salem's form, bathing the area in a silver light. It was quick to pass as the smoke started to clear. It wasn't exactly surprising to see Salem walking out of a crater in the battlefield without a single scratch on her. Weiss dropped back down to the ground and cursed slightly. "Drat! I was hoping that would work. Anyone else got any ideas?"

Gohan's mind was whirling, thinking up possible strategies to employ against such a unique opponent like this one. She wasn't inherently powerful, no… it was the Relics boosting her power.

With that in mind, he knew he was leagues stronger than Weiss and had better control over his energy. Pooling his energy, he cupped his hands and charged a Kamehameha. Everyone around him stood back as sparks of electricity snapped away all around his hands.

With a roar he launched it at Salem, watching as the White Witch did nothing to move out of the way. His power collided with the shield and in an instant, he could feel his attack get sucked into the shield and displaced elsewhere. In a few moments, Gohan halted his energy and stood back up as his attack dispersed. Everyone was looking at him curiously while Salem burst into hysterical laughter.

The ground split beneath Gohan as he exploded into a Super Saiyan and with blinding speed, he charged another Kamehameha wave and launched it towards Salem without a second thought. This all took less than a few seconds to accomplish and no one had time to react as the massively empowered energy blast impacted the shield with a resounding explosion. Gohan smirked as he felt _almost_ all the of the energy in his attack get absorbed, but not all of it.

Through the smoke, the half-Saiyan saw the shield flicker, but Salem seemed too caught up in her boasting to actually notice. Gohan could only smirk as a plan started to come together in his mind.

"It seems the relics, when brought together can defend against any attack regardless how strong. The ultimate defense. If Salem uses the Sword of Destruction, I can't imagine the kind of damage she could inflict on the world. No doubt she is planning to purge humanity with that weapon, along with her endless forces of Grimm," Ozpin observed. He watched the battle closely as Qrow and Summer went head to head with each other, the male Branwen doing his best to keep the twisted huntress busy while the rest of them tried to figure out a way to deal with Salem.

"It's futile!" Salem announced, an arrogant smirk crossing her features. "No matter how strong any of you get, you cannot overpower the magical potential of these artifacts! You could be a _god_ and you would still fall to my power!" she declared madly. To anyone, it was clear to see that the power Salem currently possessed was starting to go to her head.

In a singular movement, the Grimm Queen summoned one of the relics to her hand. It was a purely silver greatsword, affixed with many strange patterns and insignias. Ozpin was the first to recognize the artifact. Salem pointed it towards the group who hadn't moved since their arrival.

"Move!" Ozpin commanded, launching himself into the air. The group followed suit without complaint or hesitation. Salem slashed at the air, an invisible force cut through the space where they had been standing just a few seconds ago. Everything in the direction Salem had slashed at was cut into pieces and atomized.

The space before them had been visibly torn and it wouldn't surprise anyone if she had managed to cut through time itself! Gohan's eyes were wide as his attention locked onto the Grimm Queen's sword. He could sense an incomprehensible amount of power inside of it. It was practically limitless!

But… at the same time, he didn't know what _kind_ of energy he was sensing.

This energy felt wrong and… artificial. It definitely wasn't life energy he was sensing. Which just begged the question… what was he sensing?

" _Is this magic? If it is… how am I sensing it?_ " Gohan's thoughts were racing as he landed with the rest of the group on a cliffside overlooking the battlefield. Raven was helping Qrow with Summer, fighting an almost equal battle of two on one, despite the enormous strength the Branwen siblings had attained over the years. The nimble, but corrupted Summer Rose was able to keep up with them without breaking a sweat. With his worries and doubts returning to Salem and her magical sword, he couldn't help but theorize about what he was sensing from that sword.

Was this magical power so overwhelming that it spewed out energy as an outlet to balance itself? Such a small object couldn't possibly hold such power! It was completely incomprehensible! He had heard stories from his father's friends about items of great power, or storing large amounts of energy inside of containers. Master Roshi had suggested using the Demon Containment Wave on the Androids, but he had never been quite strong enough, or precise to pull it off. Was it possible that this relic wasn't exactly what it seemed? What if there was something _inside_ this sword that was producing the energy?

"Okay," Yang growled. "First thing we should do is get that sword _away_ from her. I don't know why, but I don't think having god-like strength is going to save us from being cut in half by that toothpick. Anyone got any ideas? We still have a shield to get through before we can get to that stupid sword."

"It absorbs our ranged attacks and resists our physical attacks. I don't know, why don't we just pick her up and throw her into the sun!?" Cinder quipped in a rage. Weiss and Pyrrha turned to the angered half-Maiden with raised eyebrows. It didn't actually seem like a bad idea, and most -if not all of them- could fly. However, Ozpin and Gohan merely shook their heads. It was clear that with so much power backing her, Salem could easily counter such a tactic. There was no way they could get away with something like that. Ozpin gripped his cane as a shimmering green aura surrounded him.

"I'll keep her occupied with frontal attacks. You five find a weakness. No defense is absolute. There will be an opening, and when it happens, none of you can hesitate," Ozpin stated fiercely. The five young warriors nodded in response. The man zeroed his gaze in on Salem, and in a flash, he sped down towards her and engaged her in combat. Salem's smirk was manic, while Ozpin retained his fierce, confident features.

"Finally," Salem breathed in satisfaction. "I get the pleasure of killing you, myself!"

Ozpin said nothing as his power clashed against Salem's. He could feel the titanic strength of the relics boosting her already monstrous magical power. He idly wondered if he would be escaping with his life in this fight. It would be poetic dying to ensure Salem's defeat, given he had been fighting her the moment he realized the threat to the world. Countless years he had been fighting her, and not once had either of them gained the upper hand over one another. Then the Mountain Glenn incident happened, and the world had been thrown down a pathway it clearly wasn't ready for.

"Only one of us will be walking out of this battle, Salem. This ends today."

As the true battle began, Gohan straightened up. With a grunt, he allowed himself to power up a bit without tapping into the depths of his available power. He could never be sure, he might need it later on. Yang, Pyrrha, Cinder, and Weiss merely powered up to maximum. All five colorful auras blended together to form one giant one that could be seen and sensed lightyears away. It was as if the entire universe stopped and looked towards Remnant as the battle against darkness had finally reached its peak for the world to bear witness. Once they were done, all that was needed was a small glance from Gohan and the other four already knew what to do.

"Split up and hit her with everything we have! Let's see how much her shield can take!"

The four girls nodded, before taking to the air and spreading out, surrounding the clearing and preparing their attacks for Salem.

Raven and Qrow had since moved Summer to another clearing, opting to remove their battle from Salem's eyes. Gohan could see out of the corner of his eye that the Branwen siblings had yet to gain an advantage over Summer. The poor woman had been infused with the energy of two maiden's souls inside of her, as well as some of his own and Cell's power.

The maelstrom of power surging through that abomination must be incredibly painful and chaotic. Gohan couldn't understand having more than one soul in a body. He compared the phenomenon to Piccolo's condition with Nail. The fusion between the two Namekians had given Piccolo an incomprehensible increase in power. While incredible, it still hadn't been enough to defeat Freeza.

That fusion had been natural.

Summer's had clear, physical signs of those fusions being forced onto her. He couldn't imagine anything more inhumane. Hopefully, they could find a way to fix her and revert her back to normal, but that seemed less likely than he hoped. However, that didn't explain how she could use her energy, as twisted as it was. Perhaps there was more to her grotesque physical form than he realized.

Turning his attention back to Salem and Ozpin, he cupped his hands and charged a Kamehameha, this time making sure to gather his energy. Having taught Yang the same technique, the blonde picking it up as quickly as he did the first time, she also took her time charging the attack. Pyrrha opted to use the Masenko, seeing as she and Blake had learned that attack rather easily. Weiss and Cinder both decided to use their own attacks, unnamed, but just as equally devastating. With their Maiden powers to boot, any attack could be extraordinarily powerful. They were going to hit Salem with everything they had. Overload her shield hopefully and cause it to collapse in on itself. They all seemed to have a similar idea.

All five of them waited for the right opportunity, Cinder becoming less patient than before. Salem glanced up at the five youths as she landed in a sword lock with Ozpin. The shield shimmered around her form, yet she was still able to strike out of it. It seemed she could manipulate the barrier on a whim. He was holding his cane tightly, pressing up against her sword with all the strength he could muster. The Grimm Queen couldn't hide her amusement as she observed all the attacks that were waiting to be fired at her.

"Pointless, all of this," Salem pushed Ozpin off. "Give it your best shot!" she boasted. Gohan and the rest didn't even hesitate to fire. Unleashing all their attacks at once, Salem stood there and took all of the abuse while Ozpin temporarily retreated. He watched the energy waves crash into her. The moment all five attacks impacted, Remnant itself shook violently. The ex-headmaster of Beacon was thrown away by the blasts, his body colliding with rocks and obsidian crystals. Pinned to the ground due to the impossible force, he managed to shield his eyes. Cinder and Weiss were blown away shortly after the impact of their own attacks. Pyrrha managed to hold her ground, but unfortunately, she was also blown away a few moments later.

Only Yang and Gohan had managed to stay put.

The castle had been disintegrated, and the entirety of the barren wasteland had been flattened. Summer Rose, Raven, and Qrow had also been blown away from the impact of the blast.

Minutes had passed as Gohan and Yang remained floating in the air, the ground beneath them having given way to the force of the attack. As everyone started to climb to their feet, the dust eventually cleared to reveal Salem unhurt, but slightly shocked at the amount of damage that had been inflicted around her. Her shield flickered and shattered, a look of horror crossing her face momentarily before she calmed herself down. It seemed there was a limit to what the barrier could take. The combined power of the other three relics would take a short time to recharge and remake the barrier. All she had to do was hold out until then.

"An impressive attack. I underestimated you and your tactics," the Grimm Queen noted as she watched the empowered Saiyan and his blonde partner touch down next to Ozpin. Weiss and Cinder landed behind Salem, removing a possible escape route while Pyrrha landed to Salem's right. She was almost completely surrounded by Ozpin's entourage, and nothing made her more angry than being unable to eliminate his pesky little servants. She hid her emotions very well, however, her frustration was starting to show as the group's efforts seemed to be revealing weaknesses surrounding the relics' powers that she wasn't aware of. "I will be sure to remedy that."

Gathering as much power in the Destruction Relic as she could, Salem swept the area with her sword, which created a crevice in the earth around her, causing magma to explode from the crust of the land around her. The impending destruction halted any form of attack on her person and forced everyone to retreat. The sheer power disintegrated all form of matter within the vicinity.

Everyone managed to take to the air just in time to avoid the sudden attack.

Using the time she had bought herself, she reached into her robe and removed a large purple tome with engravings on the cover. Ozpin's eyes widened upon seeing the Relic of Knowledge. What she planned to do with it was beyond him. The capabilities of the relics were still a mystery to him and as the fight progressed, he was learning more about their destructive power when in the wrong hands. Opening the book, an obsidian glow enveloped the Grimm Witch as she began to absorb the knowledge the book had to offer. After a few moments, her crimson eyes traced upwards towards Gohan and shortly after, he was enveloped in a purple glow.

The Grimm Queen smirked in satisfaction as everyone returned to the ground.

"Gohan! You're-!" Yang started, trailing off as the hybrid examined his body. He wasn't in pain or anything, nor was he having his strength sapped. Whatever it was, he didn't like it and Salem was practically grinning, staring at the young Saiyan warrior. Gohan growled, firing off an energy blast to interrupt whatever was happening to him, only to have Salem cut the blast in half with the sword, her reaction speed stunning everyone present.

The White Witch laughed madly as she shut the book, the purple glow disappearing from both herself and Gohan.

"What have you done?" Ozpin asked, his tone low and threatening.

"I knew someone as powerful as you would have experiences to back it up," Salem mused, a sadistic grin spreading across her features. "Yes… that'll do nicely." Salem lifted a single hand to eye level with the palm facing toward her. Placed on her ring finger, was a small golden circle adorned in obsidian jewels. Ozpin's eyes nearly doubled in size as he realized which relic she was about to use.

The Ring of Creation glowed, encasing her hand in a golden aura.

A few feet in front of Salem, a small but potent breeze began to swell. Shortly, the gusts intensified into a dusty vortex. Sparks of energy lashed out from the outer edge. Three shadowy figures could barely be made out in the eye of the storm. Gohan's breath caught in his throat as a mixture of shock and terror crossed his face. One of the shadows had an all too familiar and terrible energy. As the wind died down and the figures took shape and physical form, the hybrid Saiyan took a step back, dismay clear on his features. He could feel every ounce of power being poured into these three figures, the Relic gifting them energy they did not possess before. The very manifestations of evil from his nightmares were now standing before him.

Evil given form.

Cruelty given life.

Death incarnate.

Gohan's blood surged with rage he could barely contain. Emotions thundered across his face as three of his worst enemies gave him menacing smirks.

His nightmares had returned and they were looking for vengeance.

"What the…?" Yang murmured, having missed her boyfriend's reaction. Ozpin had picked up on Gohan's clear change in emotion, instantly becoming more wary of the threats in front of them. Salem on the other hand, looked rather puzzled as she gazed at the ring on her finger.

"Three? That's it? I would have thought this Relic had more power than that…" her look of disappointment fading as she regarded her three new creations. They were mostly humanoid, except for one. It's rather alien-like appearance seemed to share physical characteristics akin to Cell, seeing as the thing wasn't remotely human, however, the other two were. "Three should be enough to even the odds don't you think? I had been aiming to create more, but it seems that these three required all of the power of the Relic to create. They should be more than enough of a match for all of you."

Gohan swallowed, his anger starting to overwhelm his fear. A rage he could only recall on rare occasions burned inside of him. His chest throbbing as his Saiyan blood roared, its primal instinct hungered for revenge and a bloodthirsty battle. It was these three individuals that had pushed him to accept he was in some ways… very much like Vegeta. A desire to kill and destroy had never been so strong, not even for Cell.

The looming shadow of death fell upon Gohan like a stage curtain. All three of them, he knew he could match and best… maybe not all together, but that wasn't what he was worried about. It was all of his friends.

Standing in front of him, were his three greatest enemies from his past.

Androids Seventeen and Eighteen.

And lastly…

Freeza.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hm… things are shaping up to be rather interesting, aren't they?**

 **A bit of honesty here, originally the Salem confrontation didn't go this way. I sat down with my editors and we had a long hard discussion about how to make this fight seem… well, engaging. Because realistically, outside of magical bullshittery, Salem doesn't exactly stand a chance in hell in winning against the likes of Gohan.**

 **When I first wrote it, the entire fight was one-sided practically a blowout. I was unhappy and grudgingly accepting that people weren't going to like how easily Salem originally went down, so I made really short work of her.  
**

 **However, on a whim, I came up with this direction. I think what I've done here, if a little cliche, does make this whole confrontation a little more engaging.  
**

 **Now, the Relics. Many people have been warning me not to make Salem massively overpowered or to scale her up. I've heard all of your warnings and I've greatly taken them into consideration. While Salem isn't inherently powerful on her own, with the Relics, she's empowered immensely by the magical energies. Some of you might have a problem with that and I completely understand. Aura and Semblances don't** _ **really**_ **hold a candle to Ki and serve only to support it and be empowered by it. Magic, however… well, that's a different bag altogether.  
**

 **From the start of this story, I always saw Salem as a sort of Babidi kind of character. She plays from behind the scenes and manipulates things. Now that she's got exactly what she wants, her ego and arrogance have gone through the roof and she feels comfortable in allowing Ozpin and co. to confront her.  
**

 **Let's be honest, I know it would be cathartic to read Salem getting her ass handed to her on a silver platter by everyone, seeing as on their own, everyone in the group is stronger than base Salem. Even Cinder and Weiss would be able to one shot her, but with the Relics in play, I wanted to make things a little bit more difficult for them.**

 **Now, I realize I've skipped over some things which I feel like I've done for good reason. The collection of all four Relics save for the last one was done off-screen. I mean, I could have written it and explored the whole storyline of Ozpin chasing Summer throughout Remnant and trying to stop her as she stole Vacuo and Atlas's Relic, but ultimately I felt like it would have been padding and the story is already shaping up to be exceeding 400k words, maybe even getting close to 500k.**

 **Also… I wonder where Cell is? Hmmm. :)**

 **Cheers for reading and I'll see you guys in the next update.**

 _ **Cruzerblade: For anyone wondering why the Chichi reunion with Goku wasn't shown, we decided that it wasn't necessary and would take up too much time while feeling like padding; and lets be honest, it's not going to be anything more than Goku shows up, Chichi starts crying, Goku fills her in then fills her up ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) and then leaves. Just pure padding with nothing really important to the plot. I hope this explains it, if not feel free to spam Siv's inbox, he's fine with clarifying anything people don't quite understand.**_


	21. Of Men and Monsters

**A/N:**

 **Hey guys, back again with another chapter. I managed to get this one out pretty quickly. I'm not doing too much lately so I've been hammering away at my stories. Really enjoying it as well. I'm sort of excited to see this story so close to completion. Over a year and a half of working on this, I won't lie, I'm rather attached. I know there's heaps of errors and things I've probably looked over, but hey, I'm proud of both myself and my editors for getting this far.**

 **Doomguy914: I've been editing the most recent chapters of this story and Pride of Four myself. Our other editor is ill right now and we hope he gets better shortly. You have any gripes with the story's grammar you have only me to blame. Sorry.**

 **So thanks for reading! Seriously. Thanks guys.**

 **Now there's something I want you guys to understand before going into this chapter. It's really important and I want you guys to know. This has to do with the Humans of Remnant, versus the Humans of Earth. In terms of this story, the potential of Humans of Remnant, is far greater than the potential than the Earth Humans. I probably should have explained it more clearly in the story, but that's a problem on my front. So for all intents of purposes, here's my reason why the RWBY characters have gotten so powerful in such a short time in this story.  
**

 **Reason: Humans on Remnant, over thousands of years have evolved to be natural born fighters due to the constant threat of extinction by the Grimm. Aura and Semblances in this story, are purely abilities that only those born on Remnant are able to acquire. Due to them never really unlocking their inner energy (Ki), their potential and destructive power has been capped at a certain level.**

 **Earth's Humans in comparison, only really fight because of either passion or profession. It's never because their species is in danger of being extinction. They don't have Semblances or Aura. All of this ends with their potential being lower than that of Remnant's humans.**

 **TLDR: Remnant Humans have more potential than Earth Humans because they have evolved over thousands of years to fight Grimm and other evil forces, while also having Aura and Semblances. Humans/Faunus on Remnant are completely different to the Humans on Earth.**

 **Please keep in mind, this** _ **isn't an opinion**_ **. This is story specific which I probably missed completely on conveying. If any of you are confused, I urge to you to PM me so I can explain it a little bit clearer. I don't want to pad for words here, but what I've said is the general gist of why Pyrrha, Yang, and the others have gotten so strong in such a short amount of time.  
**

 **Granted, this also coincides with the fact that they've been fighting against Cell and opponents much stronger than them, while also training with Gohan. I operate under the idea that fighting against powers stronger than your own, causes you to grow to new heights. Due to constant training with Gohan and fighting against Cell, they've grown considerably stronger in a shorter time span.**

 **That's enough rambling, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty One: Of Men and Monsters_

A chill could be felt for miles around the barren wastelands, spreading terror throughout home to the most dangerous of Grimm.

With its new occupants, even the Grimm, once thought to be unfeeling creatures of pure malice, were scared and they had every right to be. A war that had been a millennia in the making, was about to conclude and decide the fate of the world. The infamous witch, Salem stood faced off against her mortal enemy, Ozpin. In front of her, creations of her making, forged through the Relic of Creation and given shape by Gohan's memories.

Terror incarnate stood, smiling and taking delight in the fear they projected upon their opponents.

"My… what layer of Hell have I found myself in now?" Freeza mused as he scanned the area around him. His amusement was short lived when his vision landed on a boy who wore the same orange clothing as the man who killed him. His wrath and anger became visible on his ghostly white skin as he glared madly at Gohan. " _You…_ "

Gohan remained deathly silent, glaring at all three of the enemies that stood in front of him. He knew that fighting all three of them at once would be foolish. There was something different about the two Androids this time around. He didn't know why, but he could sense their energy. They were strong, incredibly so. To the point where they could have probably beaten him if they had actually worked together back when he killed them. He had caught them off-guard and easily disposed of them.

Now, this would be a different story.

And with Freeza added to the mix, he was more unsure as ever just how this fight would pan out.

"Who are you!?" Freeza demanded hotly. "That get up you wear marks you a dead man!"

"Pipe down, short stuff," Seventeen quipped in amusement, drawing Freeza's attention. "That right there, is Son Gohan, and if you think you're going to be the one to kill him, I suggest you rethink your situation."

"He's _our_ kill," Eighteen snapped angrily. The Galactic Emperor growled menacingly as he turned his gaze to the two humans who stood to his left. "Get in our way and we'll make sure you pay dearly."

Freeza was about to retort but was interrupted by a violent tremor in the earth around them. The now exposed lava surged upward towering before them in a fiery pillar.

An animalistic growl exited Gohan as a violent wind surrounded him. Yang took a step back as the hybrid's power swelled within him like a tsunami. His eyes flashed, his hair blinking between coal black and pristine gold. His muscles bulged like they never had before. This wasn't like his normal transition… it was like he was taking things a step further! Golden electricity impacted the ground around him as his aura engulfed him like a wildfire.

Gohan let loose a roar that echoed through the entire wasteland, a hurricane of power that was almost suffocating to those around him. The good, caring nature his eyes often held was gone, replaced by bitter, steel hatred for the beings within his line of sight. Yang and Pyrrha could feel the extent of this power. The only time they could remember him using this kind of power was back at Beacon when he fought Cell after the monster had achieved his second form.

This was the true, unbridled power of the Super Saiyan.

"Gohan…?" Yang breathed, slightly stunned having witnessed this particular power up first hand.

"As much as I believe I could fight all three of them, I don't think that would be the smartest idea. I know I can take those two," Gohan snarled gesturing to Seventeen and Eighteen. Yang followed his gesture to the male and female humans. Something told her they were more of a threat than the alien that stood a few feet to their left. "I'm much stronger than them, but I don't feel like I could keep track of all three of them. As much as I hate to say it, you guys need to fight Freeza. He's the weaker of the three, but don't take that for granted. He was infamous for destroying planets and erasing entire civilizations."

"You flatter me," Freeza chuckled mockingly.

"Freeza?!" Yang hissed under her breath, clearly shocked at the familiar name. "But I thought…" she trailed off, gazing at the three enemies in front of them. She balled her hands, her knuckles going white. Were these things created using Gohan's memories? Are these the foes he fought with in the past? The ones that had caused him so much heartache and despair? The merciless look in their eyes gave Yang chills.

"I will help," Pyrrha said suddenly, landing next to Yang. Weiss and Cinder also took to the sky and retreated to Yang's side, knowing that the blonde girl would need their help against a foe like this.

"I'm starting to wish I couldn't sense power levels, because all three of them are terrifying," Weiss said, gesturing to the twin androids. Turning her eyes back to Freeza, she started to sweat nervously. "Something about him seems even worse than the other two though."

"It's going to take all four of us to bring him down," Cinder spat, clearly not liking the situation. Yet another power that dwarfed her own had entered the fray. "As much as it sickens to me say, we all need to work together on this one. One wrong move and we are as good as dead."

"Let me take the hits then," Yang suggested, her hair instantly igniting. A quick grunt and her body shifted into her semblance evolved state. Her iris's shifting from lilac purple to fiery orange. Her body glowed, a tranquil, controlled feeling to her power. Pyrrha with some slight difficulty, managed to tap into her own semblance evolved state, having only used it twice before. The aqua blue aura rolling off her skin. Weiss and Cinder just powered up, a white aura surrounding both of them.

"Enough talk," Salem boomed. "Attack!" she ordered. Surprisingly enough, her creations did nothing.

Seventeen turned to the White Witch with a scowl on his face.

"We'll attack when we feel like it."

The statement left everyone present stunned save for Gohan. Seventeen turned to his sister, who still had her sights locked on the young Saiyan. The hateful glare she was sending the half-breed's way was absolute loathing and distaste. She could remember her _death_ clearly at the hands of this boy. He even looked the same as he did when they last fought.

"I'm not about to let this kid kill us again, so how about we take things seriously this time around?"

Eighteen growled, the bitter memories of being the last to fall at the teen's hands plaguing her mind.

"I'm going to break his bones and make him watch as I kill all of his friends right in front of him. Seems fair enough for what he did to us. Come on, Seventeen. Let's break this punk!"

The two reincarnated androids shot forward at blinding speeds, aiming to fight Gohan head on. The half-Saiyan shot forward to meet them, his voice booming as he clashed with his mortal enemies. The entire landscape shook violently as the fighters disappeared into the sky. The dark clouds in the vicinity were blown away by the incredible power, leaving a crimson sky overhanging the entire area.

"So, the monkey half-breed has decided to ignore me," the white-skinned alien chuckled menacingly. "No matter. I will dispose of the trash and kill him myself," Freeza stated. Turning to Salem, the galactic tyrant sent the witch a dark look, promising death should she get in his way. "I do not know how you have managed to return me to life, but I must extend my gratitude for such an action. However, should you get in my way I will see to it that your existence is swiftly erased."

Salem watched, speechlessly as Freeza turned back to the four girls that faced him. Had she just been threatened by her own creation? The way it spoke, it implied she had resurrected them from the dead! If this was the power of the Creation Relic, combined with the Knowledge Relic, there was no telling what she could do. The sheer possibilities were endless! She had no idea where to start! The thought of artifacts being capable of defying the laws of death was simply astounding!

The four empowered girls watched as Freeza slowly moved towards them, a look of sadistic pleasure crossing his face.

"I suppose you four will do for now. The entree to my revenge."

"If you think this is going to be easy for you," Cinder growled hatefully. "Then you have another thing coming."

Freeza just laughed.

"Amusing. I hope you four put up a decent fight. I'll be disappointed otherwise. I find very little enjoyment in killing the helpless."

Before their very eyes, Freeza vanished from sight. Only Yang could properly trace the speeds of their alien opponent. Appearing to their right, Yang took the initiative and attacked, throwing a punch that Freeza caught effortlessly. Weiss and Cinder retreated slightly from the fight, knowing they would get brutalized if Freeza caught them off-guard again. Pyrrha maneuvered herself around the Emperor, only to have the fiend's tail wrap around her waist and throw her into a nearby mound of rocks. It had happened so quickly she hadn't had time to react.

"You can follow my movements!" Freeza exclaimed with some element of intrigue. A smirk crossed his face. "Perhaps things won't be as dull as I thought. For you to keep up with my speed in my final form is nothing short of extraordinary. Very few in the universe have managed to match me in power while I'm in this form, even less have survived. Let's see which one _you_ are!" Freeza's power exploded around him, engulfing Yang in a magenta aura. Its energy was monstrous, however, nothing she hadn't dealt with before.

Freeza brought his knee up and rammed it into Yang's midsection. The blonde smirked as she felt her power rise. If Freeza had noticed, he clearly didn't show it. Yang directed a significant portion of her Ki to hardening her abdomen, while purposefully leaving it wide open for Freeza to attack while the monster had her hand trapped. Freeza chuckled as he repeated the attack over and over, the ground splitting and cracking each time Yang was hit. However, after a few moments, Freeza began to notice that the girl was letting him do it on purpose.

"Oh, figured it out have you?" Yang taunted with a grin. Freeza growled.

"Insignificant insect," the Emperor hissed. "What are you planning?"

"THIS!" Yang ripped her hand from Freeza's grip, letting her power explode all at once before ramming her fist into Freeza's own stomach. The galactic tyrant's eyes bulged as the transformed brawler brought her knee up and slammed it into her opponent's chin. Freeza was sent toppling backwards but Yang wasn't even close to being finished yet. Flashing forward and jumping over top of Freeza, she cupped her hands and launched an explosive yellow energy wave that swallowed Freeza whole, pushing the Galactic Emperor directly into the ground. The blast continued to dig deeper until it exploded just beneath the surface, peppering the land with shrapnel composed of obsidian and rock.

Immediately, Yang retreated, knowing that attack wouldn't be enough to put her opponent down for good. It took Gohan's father achieving a legendary transformation to finish this monster off. It would take much more than she was capable of dishing out to kill this guy. She landed next to Pyrrha, who had just managed to push herself out of the rubble. The redhead looked slightly dazed from the impact.

"You alright, Pyrrha?"

"I've had worse."

As the two steadied themselves, Freeza shot to the surface, touching down on the ground relatively uninjured from the assault. A sickly smile was plastered on his features as he eyed both girls. He also noticed the black and silver-haired girl who had been very adamant in keeping their distance. He grinned knowingly. They must have realized how useless their attempts would be to harm him. They did not seem to share the same resolve as the two in front of him, so therefore, they must not share the same power levels.

"A commendable effort, truly," Freeza mocked lightly. "However, I feel that you fail to see the bigger picture here. My power far exceeds your own, if those attacks were by any measure a testament to your true strength. You'd do well to kneel and pledge allegiance to me. Your very existence could depend on the decision you are about to make."

"Oh, get lost!" Yang retorted angrily. "I think I'd rather get eaten by Cell than serve someone like you!"

"Disrespectful peon. You're going to wish you hadn't said that," Freeza stated in annoyance. The merciless dictator began taking steps towards the huntress duo. Yang and Pyrrha slipped into a stance, just in time to see Freeza once again vanish from sight. Yang followed his movements carefully, blocking a kick meant to snap Pyrrha's neck. Deflecting an attack from behind, Yang shifted her weight, turning and hooked Freeza in the jaw. Pyrrha immediately turned, following up her friend's attack with her own.

Taking out Freeza's legs, she sent the alien airborne. Flipping over her redheaded teammate, Yang planted her foot directly into Freeza's stomach, causing the malicious emperor to splutter. Pyrrha exploded forward, grabbing the vulnerable Freeza by the tail and hurling him into a nearby mountain. Yang and Pyrrha then hailed down a volley of energy attacks that bullied the galactic ruler into the ground. After a few moments, the two girls stopped to observe what kind of damage they managed to do.

"This guy isn't so tough," Yang boasted. Just as she said that, Freeza casually strolled out of the smoking debris with a few scratches but minimal damage. Frieza stopped a fair bit away from them as he lazily brushed some dirt off his shoulder. "Okay… maybe he's tougher than he looks."

"Definitely stronger than Ginyu. You'd make my strongest soldiers look like toddlers. You're going to actually force me to use fifty percent of my power. Allow me to inform you that up until now, every strike you have landed on me, I have allowed you to make. I have been using a paltry twenty percent of my maximum power."

"Yeah!? Well I haven't been using my full power either!" Yang shot back. The ruthless sadist brushed off her comment as a bluff. However, that changed when Yang's aura erupted around her, a golden flare of power amplifying her energy like never before. The blissful fire that had replaced her golden locks had intensified. Her eyes burned with raw energy as she finalized her powerup. Freeza watched, betraying no emotions other than slight intrigue in her power. It was very similar to that of Saiyans, but she was clearly human and this was definitely no Super Saiyan.

"What say we make this a little more interesting?" Freeza proposed, his own energy covering him from head to toe. A slight flex of his muscles and power had his body shining brightly. In a split second, it vanished, leaving the tyrant looking the same as he did before. Yang and Pyrrha were left looking rather perplexed at the action their opponent had just taken. "Fifty percent of my maximum power. If you can last a measly five minutes against me at this level of strength, I will personally make sure your deaths are swift. Such commendable strength should be rewarded after all."

"Some reward," Pyrrha muttered sourly. Freeza laughed and shot a energy blast at the two girls. Pyrrha's eyes narrowed as her power kicked in. The energy blast fizzled out of existence before it even came close to hitting the two girls. The sudden occurrence of this event left Freeza rather confused as to why it had happened. Clearly something was afoot here and these girls possessed powers unlike any he had encountered before. They took the form of the humans he had encountered on Namek… but something about them was different.

"An interesting ability. I'm uncertain of which one of you possesses such a power but it won't matter. If my energy attacks won't work against you, then I have other methods of dealing with insects."

Freeza flashed forward only to be met head-on with Yang. The girl collided with the megalomaniac, landing straight into a mercy lock. Freeza looked rather annoyed by the fact that fifty percent of his power wasn't enough to overwhelm the girl. Clearly, she was far stronger than he gave her credit for. His flaw seemed to be vastly underestimating his opponents. He had done it countless times on Namek and his short-lived visit to Earth. However, it seemed he hadn't quite learned to rectify that mistake yet.

"What's wrong?" Yang taunted as she lifted a leg to knee Freeza, only to have him mirror her actions. The force of their knees colliding forced the ground below them to split and crumble in on itself. A crater seemingly formed in a split second and the two fighters found themselves floating in the air, struggling to overcome one another. "You don't look as confident as you did before. If this is all you have then I'm very _**disappointed**_!" Yang growled, pulling Freeza towards her, just in time for Pyrrha to seamlessly fly over the brawler's head and deliver a roundhouse kick directly to the Emperor's face.

Freeza was sent barreling into the ground, with Pyrrha continuing the assault by turning herself into an angry, red comet. Tearing into the sky, she circled back and shot down into the ground, impacting Freeza's body, sending him further into the ground with an agonized roar. She quickly retreated, flipping out of the crater and landing at Yang's side, preparing herself for whatever Freeza was going to throw at them next.

"Never thought I'd be pulling off team attacks with you," Yang quipped lightly. Pyrrha noted the humor behind the comment. They were both on different teams after all.

"We do make a good team."

Before either of them had a chance to converse further, the ground started to shake. Tearing through the earth below them, a violent dark pink aura shot out of the ground and into the air. Arms crossed and looking slightly miffed, Lord Freeza hovered above them. The Emperor displayed no signs of physical damage aside from a few scratches, causing a pit to form in Yang's stomach.

"An impressive display of strength," Freeza mused. "I'm fortunate I was brought back in this form, otherwise I might have been in danger of losing my life once again. It appears I have underestimated your capabilities. You are clearly unlike those other humans I encountered on Namek. I will make sure to treat you with the _respect_ you deserve," the tyrant finished, adding mockery to his tone. Yang and Pyrrha prepared themselves for an attack, only to see an energy wave thunder towards Freeza from behind.

Freeza turned, slightly annoyed at the interruption. Cinder and Weiss appeared to have worked together, combining their powers to attack Freeza. However, their power wasn't nearly strong enough to scratch the Galactic Emperor. Anger flooded the sadistic emperor's features as he turned and effortlessly caught the blast head on, immediately directing it towards the sky. Cinder and Weiss watched, dumbfounded that their attack had been deflected so easily. Before either of them had a chance to say anything, Freeza shot towards them, his hands outstretched.

Clamping around both their necks, he slammed them both into the ground, dragging the two females through dirt and rock. Yang and Pyrrha quickly launched into action, rushing Freeza directly. The alien quickly dealt with his current prey tossing them aside and firing two ki blasts at them for good measure. Cinder and Weiss screamed as the blasts detonated on them in unison. They were sent barreling across the battlefield, unable to recover in the air.

Yang attacked Freeza's left side while Pyrrha assaulted Freeza's right. The both of them were a blur of colors, fighting at speeds Freeza was all too used to. However, at this speed and power, he found himself on defense, unable to attack either of them. Yang managed to brute force her way through Freeza's guard after a few moments, delivering a thunderous punch to Freeza's side, all while Pyrrha launched a devastating attack on his head. Freeza was sent skidding backwards, having received colossal damage. The Emperor could feel his lower ribs crack from the incredible strike. Although, it seemed the damage he had taken from the redhead was significantly less than the fiery blonde's.

Yang and Pyrrha immediately charged a Kamehameha wave and fired them off in unison.

The two blue energy waves combined and impacted Freeza dead on. The tyrant struggled to maintain his balance with his current injuries. After a few moments, Freeza smirked as a magenta aura engulfed him. Powering up, he quickly pushed himself off the blast and circled around towards the two girls. The Kamehameha wave continued forth, slamming into where Salem's castle had previously resided, erasing the entire mountain from existence. Freeza laughed maniacally as he slammed into both girls, clothes-lining both of them. Using his forward momentum, he launched both girls into a pile of rocks.

"A feeble effort! Let me show you how it's done!" Lifting his finger, he fired off multiple Death Beams towards the two transformed girls. Yang had just enough time to shield Pyrrha from the vicious attacks. The beams of energy ripped through Yang's body like a knife through wet cardboard. She screamed in agony as the beams hit the rocks behind her and exploded. Luckily Pyrrha wasn't killed by the vicious assault. "You should think twice before attempting to face me!"

Freeza continued to fire off Death Beams into the cloud of smoke that continued to get larger and larger. Finally, after a few moments of devastation, the Emperor of the Universe halted his attack to observe the results of his onslaught. When the cloud of smoke cleared, Yang was on her knees, blood leaking from the corners of her mouth and from the various holes in her body. Pyrrha was standing in front of her, practically shining. Freeza was utterly shocked by the fact that his death beams were floating in the air in front of Pyrrha. With her arms outstretched, a look of fierce concentration was plastered on the redhead's face.

With a scream, she thrust her hands forward, sending the energy beams straight back at their maker.

"What!?" Freeza exclaimed batting away the various beams of energy. A few beams collided with Freeza, exploding on contact, covering the egotistical ruler in a cloud of smoke of his own creation. As Pyrrha fired Freeza's attacks back at him, Yang slowly pushed herself to her feet with inhuman strength. Her body was shaking violently as she growled. Pushing out as much power as she could, she willed her body to heal the damage done. The holes in her body slowly closed up and knitted themselves back together. Muscle, bone, and organs repaired within seconds.

Wiping blood from her mouth, Yang flexed her power, standing to her fullest unharmed in the slightest.

"That… was the most painful thing… I have ever experienced," Yang breathed heavily. Pyrrha finished firing off the remainder of attacks and slipped into a defensive stance. Yang mirrored her friend's action. "This guy is no joke. If I didn't have this power, I would be a lifeless hunk of swiss."

When the smoke cleared, Freeza stood tall, covered in scratches and blood leaking from the left corner of the tyrant's mouth. A look of fury burned in the Emperor's eye. If they had any chance of mercy before, they had most certainly signed their death warrants now.

"You…" Freeza growled. "YOU WILL REGRET DEFYING ME!"

The Emperor of the Universe leaned over, a roar exiting his throat. Lightning crackled in the sky, the very planet itself starting to shake violently. A purple aura exploded around Freeza as his muscles bulged to ridiculous levels. His power shot through the roof, his murderous gaze zeroed in on both Yang and Pyrrha. The two girls knew they had pissed him off with how much power he was exerting. The entire wasteland seemed to blacken even more than it was, as if Freeza's own shadow overwhelmed the area.

"I'm sick of playing these games with human CHILDREN! If you wish to die so badly, allow me to be the one that fulfills your request!"

His energy exploded and suddenly, Pyrrha found herself buried in the ground, Freeza's foot crushing her chest. Coughing up blood, she felt her ribs crack as the immense pressure almost flattened her. Freeza then immediately turned his attention to Yang who was already on the attack. Freeza easily bulldozed through her defenses and tackled her, flying across the battlefield and taking them both straight into a mountain. Exploding out the other side, Freeza took Yang by the hair and threw her into the ground.

Not even a split second later after Yang hit the ground, Freeza was after her in a flash, firing off energy blasts that scorched her body from head to toe. The entirety of the barren wasteland was shaking from the immense power as Freeza refused to let up the punishment. Immediately after the blasts, Freeza shot down and rammed his knee directly into Yang's face. Blood spewed from her nose and mouth. Punches were thrown at lightspeed as the fight became one-sided.

Attacks rained all over her body, and to fatal areas no less. Kidney… lungs, liver, pelvis. Her entire body was screaming for mercy but received none. Her iconic weapons had been disintegrated into dust. Her favored huntress outfit was ripped to shreds, leaving her modesty rather exposed. She was down to her yellow sports bra, black shorts and her combat boots. Her entire body was covered in dirt and blood. Her aura had shattered at some point in the fight because her body was no longer being shielded by it. She felt like she had landed in Hell.

"You are truly pathetic. Even the monkeys put up a better fight than you did," Freeza growled, picking Yang up by the hair. Yang peered through the blood that dripped over her eyes. She could feel her body slowly healing the damage done, but at this current moment, Freeza was doing more damage than she could heal. At this rate, she was going to be killed. She could truly see the resemblance between Cell and Freeza. Cell was a ruthless monster. Freeza however… this was more like she was staring into the eyes of the Devil himself.

Yang slowly raised one of her hands and clamped down on Freeza's hand. She had faced worse than Freeza! She still had to get back at Cell for what he did to Ruby! She wasn't about to give up here. No… she couldn't. Failure was not an option here and giving up was absolutely out of the question. Her pride wouldn't allow it. No matter how many bones were broken, or how much she bled, she wouldn't die here.

A golden, celestial flame erupted around Yang as she tightened her grip around Freeza's arm, slowly removing it from her head. Freeza gasped and tried to step back, only to find that he couldn't despite him being at full power. Yang's grip was like Iron… and her eyes. Her flaming _golden_ eyes. For a brief second, Freeza saw the avatar of the man who had bested him so many years ago. Only briefly. The Saiyan known as Son Goku for a split second, took the place of Yang Xiao Long. Despite having different colored eyes, they shared the same burning resolve to _crush_ him.

"N-No!" Freeza tried to pull away but Yang refused to let go. A growl that couldn't possibly be human exited Yang's throat. "Not again! You aren't even a Saiyan! You can't be the same!"

In a flash, Yang buried her fist inside of Freeza's stomach. All the abuse and damage she had taken surged through her, but instead of releasing it, she held onto it. Refusing to let go of the strength she had just gained. Freeza stumbled backwards, coughing and spluttering from the unexpected attack. Glancing at Yang, Freeza realized through his wheezing that the girl appeared to have gained an incredible amount of power from some kind of source. She was literally glowing, just like that monkey had been all those years ago.

"You _WRETCH!_ " Freeza spat as he steadied himself, drawing on all the power he could. "I will _not_ be bested _again_!"

Summoning every ounce of his power, Freeza shot forward and slammed into Yang. The fiery blonde held her position with clear difficulty. The ground beneath them exploded, debris floating up around them due to the immense power being traded between the two. Freeza went in for another strike, only to have it met with equal force by Yang's own strike. Freeza roared with frustration and anger as he started throwing as many attacks as he could. Yang matched every single one, the two fighters battling at speeds invisible to the untrained eye.

"I don't care where your power has come from!" Freeza bellowed. "You're no Saiyan! You're going to hit your limit sooner or later and when you do, I'll be the one to kill you!" the Emperor of the Universe stated as the two continued to trade blows. However, as they did so, Yang's energy increased ever so slightly and before Freeza knew it, she was starting to overwhelm him. The veins on her skin became visible as fire started to lick her skin. Her body was starting to steam from all the energy she was generating. Yang grunted, feeling the inferno inside of her starting to fall out of her control. She knew she had to end this soon or her own power would end up killing her.

"You sure love talking," Yang hissed, delivering a bone-shattering kick to Freeza's right shoulder. The tyrant's expression was that of agony as Yang felt the bones within her opponent start to crack. Thrusting her hand forward, she let loose a blast of energy that carried the Emperor a few hundred meters before exploding. The smoke cleared quickly as Freeza powered up, clearly having taken significant damage from the attack. Freeza retaliated by speeding towards Yang and kicking her into the sky. Flashing behind her, he wrapped his tail around her neck and threw her into another mound of rock and dirt.

"Take this!" he threw another colossal blast of energy her way. Yang shot out of the crater and collided with the Ki blast. She pushed with all the power she had. Her hands felt like they were going to burn off but as she continued to push, she could feel Freeza losing control of the blast. With a scream, Yang tore through the energy and headbutted Freeza in the chest, completely winding the Emperor. Using her momentum, she flipped and drop-kicked Freeza directly into the earth below.

The Emperor of the Universe recovered, landing on the ground, cracking the surface as he did so. He looked back up at Yang, rage clouding his thoughts, he thrust both hands forth and fired off one of the biggest energy waves Yang had ever seen. She had no time to dodge, so she decided she'd once again meet him with her own attack. She thrust her hands forward, the familiar blue energy wave exploding from her cupped hands. The two blasts met violently as the beam struggle shook the entire area around them. Countless debris was lifted from the area and flowed into the middle of the two clashing beams, disintegrating on touch.

"Die! DIE! _**DIE!**_ " Freeza screamed, pouring more energy into his blast. Yang found herself being pushed back as the merciless megalomaniac came terrifyingly close to overwhelming her. Her inexperience when dealing with such a clash of energy was weakening her. She had to gather her bearings quickly, otherwise Freeza would completely annihilate her! Gritting her teeth, Yang pushed more of her energy into the wave.

" _I can't lose here!_ " Yang thought desperately. Luckily her prayers were answered when a beam of energy rocketed from a nearby destroyed cliff. Weiss and Cinder were standing there looking worse for wear. Their hands were smoking as they had combined their Maiden powers to unleash all of their available energy into a single attack. Freeza had no time to move before it impacted him, exploding and interrupting his concentration. Yang took this opportunity to overwhelm him enemy with all of her power.

Screaming, she reached down into the depths of her power and pulled it all out. The Kamehameha wave multiplied in size and tore through Freeza's blast. Once again the universal tyrant was swallowed by an energy wave, screaming as he felt his body sustain inconceivable damage. The wasteland was bathed in a blue light as the attack detonated on the surface of the planet. A flash of light could be seen from Remnant's atmosphere followed by clouds on that side of the planet being blown away.

The immediate area was blanketed by a thick cloud of vaporized debris. More molten rock poured forth from the planet's crust as a small pool formed in the base of the crater left in the attack's wake. As the smoke cleared away Yang could be seen floating above a steadily growing pool of magma breathing heavily.

Exhausted from her battle, she dropped out of her semblance evolved state and began to plummet to a fiery demise. Weiss and Cinder sped to her aid, the former catching the girl before she could hit the scorching liquid.

"I got you!" Weiss called as she caught Yang's exhausted form. Setting her down just on the edge of the crater, Weiss supported her teammate, allowing the blonde to remain in a sitting position. "You are incredibly reckless… you know that?" Weiss chastised. Yang merely wheezed as she tried to laugh at her white-haired teammate's jab. Cinder said nothing as she eyed the blonde. The power she had gained previously had now run dry, leaving the blonde in a very vulnerable state. Yang was officially out of power and out of the fight… but at least they had managed to deal with-

A pink blast erupted out from the fiery pool and stopped short a few meters away from the three girls. Cinder immediately stood in front of Weiss and Yang to defend them from any attack, but was shocked when she saw the enemy they had been fighting before _still_ alive! However, he was looking worse for wear. The Emperor of the Universe was missing parts of his tail. One of his legs had been completely eviscerated and blood was leaking from every orifice of his body.

"No way…" Weiss breathed. Yang was just growling, trying to stand up but failing to do so. Her injuries and exhaustion had overcome her. It would take awhile for her to recover.

"Great…" Cinder murmured, sweat starting to form on her forehead. Freeza was breathing heavily, as he outstretched his hands to either side of his body. Two magenta disks of energy whirred to life and expanded. A crazed grin appeared on his features. The circular projections emitted a light whine akin to a pair of buzzsaws.

"Here!" Freeza laughed. "Just like I promised! Now you will die by my hands!" Freeza hurled the disks at the three girls. Yang shut her eyes as Weiss attempted to shield her. Cinder summoned energy to her hands in an attempt to deflect the disks, but after a second, she knew that was going to be a bad idea. They all had to move otherwise that attack would slice right through them! But it was too late, the disks were already upon them. They were moving far too fast to dodge now.

The three girls shut their eyes, ready for the pain to come.

But it never did.

"W-What!?" Freeza gasped, utterly confused as to what he was seeing. To his surprise, the disks of energy had halted, mere millimeters from Cinder's form.

In the blink of an eye, they shot back towards their maker, slicing him into thirds. The Emperor was too shocked to speak as his own attack had once again, dealt him a fatal blow.

As the galactic ruler fell to pieces and hit the ground, his final vision revealed Pyrrha Nikos, standing behind him with her hand outstretched and her entire form glowing blue. Pyrrha's breath was labored and blood was leaking from the corners of her mouth. Her hair was disheveled and her greaves were warped jutting out in sharp angles. The sash that adorned her thigh was completely torn away revealing more of the amazon's pale complexion.

All eyes landed on her, then shifted down to Freeza's lifeless corpse. In mere moments, the remains of his body melted into shadow and were absorbed into the ground. The disks that had killed Freeza remained halted in the air to either side of the redhead. Her hands curled and the disks of energy were dispelled.

"Back to Hell," Pyrrha grunted. "I hope you enjoy it there."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Thunderous booms cracked throughout the sky as three forces collided violently with one another.

Flashes of gold appeared on the crimson background that painted the sky. Son Gohan was once again locked in mortal combat with two of his most hated adversaries. Gohan's power had grown far beyond theirs but their teamwork made for a tedious war of attrition. Gohan had years worth of fighting experience to weigh the odds in his favor.

" _It was easier when I last fought them. They underestimated me and paid for it. Now… they know what I can do,"_ Gohan mused as he left another afterimage, fooling Eighteen. Seventeen immediately covered her blindspot, blocking an energy blast that Gohan had instinctively conjured and fired with flawless accuracy. Knowing the black haired twin would intercept his attack, he blasted forward clotheslining the brother into his sister. Flashing behind the two, he kneed Eighteen before flipping over top of them and releasing a Masenko directly above them. Before Seventeen even had time to bring up an energy shield, the yellow demon wave crashed down upon them, sending them directly into the ground.

Floating down and touching down on top of a nearby cliff, Gohan watched with his arms crossed as the smoke cleared. Seventeen and Eighteen bolted out of the crater the attack had made and glared at Gohan. A quick glance to his left allowed him to see that Yang and the others had engaged Freeza and were faring as well as they could be. He could see flashes in the distance, having moved the fight with the two Androids far away from where the others were. He wasn't going to lie, he was worried about Yang more so than he was worried about himself and the existence of the Androids.

Freeza was no pushover.

"So," Seventeen started with a growl. "It seems you've gotten even stronger than the last time we fought. Can't say it was actually a fair fight though. We did underestimate you. Know that we won't be doing that again."

"I'd be disappointed if you did," Gohan shot back. He unfolded his arms his gaze returning to the two Androids. All his life he had been afraid of these two and when the day had come where he killed them, he had reveled in the feeling. He had finally avenged everyone they had killed or hurt, but that wasn't going to bring them back. What these two demons had done was beyond redemption. They paid the ultimate price for their selfish desires and Gohan had been the one to deliver judgment.

Now here they were, revived somehow through his memories.

It didn't feel right.

Their presence felt unnatural and Gohan had no doubt it was because of that ring Salem was wearing. One of the relics… she had peered into his past with a simple wave of her hand. Using that knowledge she had learned, she had recreated his worst enemies as her tools of destruction. Although, it seemed she did not have complete control over them, as Seventeen had been disloyal from the moment words came out of his mouth. It had been rather shocking that Salem did not have complete control over these two, seeing as they were merely just constructs of his memory, given physical form.

Perhaps that was her inexperience with using the Relics. She hadn't had them long. Knowing that, it probably was the right call to confront her before she could truly realize the potential of the weapons she possessed. Nevertheless, he was confronted with a predicament. Despite being conjured from his memories, they seemed to be self-aware and intelligent. The fact that they could speak and recall events was a testament to his theory. They were copies, with memories of their previous selves right up until the moment when they died. It just so happened that Gohan had been there to witness each one of their deaths.

"You're not going to find this fight easy," Eighteen hissed. She fired off a quick blast, her emotions getting the better of her. Gohan merely stared at the blast as it barreled towards him. His form blurred and moved to the side, all without his body even twitching. The attack rocketed past him and disappeared into the horizon. A dome of fire erupted, swallowing the darkness in the horizon. The ground shook as the sky was painted by an orange glow. "We're not going to entertain these games anymore. You've killed us once. Expect us to return the favor!"

"You're more than welcome to try," Gohan responded, his tone dark and foreboding.

The two Androids shot towards him, splitting the earth the moment they took off from the ground. Gohan tensed as he watched them draw closer. Suddenly, they paired off, going in two different directions. No doubt they were trying to divide his attention. That wasn't going to work as well as they would think. Gohan took to the air, keeping an eye on both Androids as they mirrored each others' actions, maintaining equal distance from him on either side.

In a split second they closed in for the kill. Gohan amplified his power and blocked both attacks that came his way. Eighteen kicked while Seventeen punched, Gohan caught both attacks with ease. Breaking off the engagement, the three slipped into a lightning-fast exchange of blows. Gohan managed to slip in some damage on both the Androids while he minimized all the damage they could possibly do. His incredible speed allowed him to see all their attacks for what they were. Nothing was hidden from his eyes. He had them outmatched, just like he did all those years ago.

Pushing onto the offense, Gohan pulled Seventeen in by the arm, tossing him away the moment he had control of the Android. Turning, he narrowly avoided a kick from Eighteen. Weaving through her guard, he rammed his knee straight into her mid-section. An agonized, silent scream exited her throat as all the air was knocked out of her. Turning his body to the side, he elbowed the girl directly in the nose. Her head was thrown back as he cupped his hands, an all too familiar blue light sparking to life.

"Kamehame Ha!" his roar echoed throughout the battlefield as he threw his hands forward, the signature energy wave ripping through Eighteen's energy and tearing into her body. It wasn't going to be enough to kill her. Gohan saw her smoky remains hit the ground as he let his blast fizzle out of existence. He glided back to the ground and stood a few meters away from Android Eighteen's body. He glared at her as she attempted to stand. He merely sighed and without even looking, moved to attack the empty space behind him.

He threw out his elbow, just in time for Seventeen to appear and take the full brunt of his attack.

Turning, Gohan jabbed the black haired android in the throat, cutting off all oxygen to the humanoid cyborg. Stunned, Seventeen stumbled backwards, only to see Gohan lifting his leg. A force like none other slammed into him, the weight of Gohan's kick carrying more power than he ever remembered the boy having. He shot off like a rocket and impacted a mound of dark rock and crystal. Blood leaked from the android's mouth as he struggled to regain his composure.

"Damn you…" Seventeen cursed. Gohan raised a hand and fired a Ki blast off behind him, impacting the ground beneath Eighteen, who had only just managed to make it to her feet. She was sent flying, her body rag-dolling in mid-air. A short, quick thrust of Gohan's hand once more, sent an invisible force towards the blonde android. The force of the blow cracked the ground around Gohan and sent loose debris flying everywhere. Pulling himself from the crater, Seventeen hit the ground, falling to his knees. A displacement in the air suddenly showed Gohan to be in front of him, towering over him, his entire body encased in shadow.

"I pity you," the Saiyan hybrid started. "I've gotten a lot stronger since we last fought. It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that this fight wouldn't last long."

"You think… this is over..?" the black haired android hissed. Gohan watched with emotionless eyes as he pulled himself to his feet. Power exploded around the android as he went in for a punch. "IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL YOU'RE-"

Raising a hand, Gohan silenced the Android by catching his attack with _one_ finger.

Seventeen's eyes shook madly, unable to comprehend the power that this boy had achieved.

Gohan's finger curled around Seventeen's fist, until suddenly, the Android found his hand encased by the Saiyan's.

"No-" He didn't even get time to speak before the hybrid Saiyan knocked him out with a swift chop to the neck. Seventeen crumpled to the ground, hanging loosely from Gohan's hand. After a few moments, he dropped the black haired android.

The savior of Earth merely sighed, peering down to his hand. He felt nothing. There was nothing about this fight that was satisfying. In fact, it was almost sad. Constructs of his memory given form, only to be destined to be defeated once again by his hand. There was no glory in this kind of victory. There was just… nothing. An empty void.

"I would have thought killing you again would have brought some kind of satisfaction," Gohan turned to see Eighteen land a few meters away from him, looking as livid as he had ever seen. His memory was as clear as day. There was nothing different about this time, or the last. Seventeen had been the first to die by his hand, leaving Eighteen the last android standing. "Believe me, killing you is not something I'm going to enjoy."

"How… could you!?" Eighteen hissed. "Not again… I won't die like I did before! I won't let you!"

"What makes you think it's going to be any different from last time?" Gohan growled. Eighteen didn't even see him move. A blur in her vision and the golden clad Saiyan was behind her. Gohan just pushed her in the back, sending her stumbling forward. With an angry swipe, she slashed her hand as she fell, disintegrating almost every bit of the mountain of rocks behind her. "You took the lives of all those innocent people and not once did you feel any regret for your actions. Not a single life was spared."

Eighteen couldn't even stand up without Gohan being a few inches away from her, towering over her like some kind of God. Reaching down, he picked her up by the scruff of her neck. She squirmed and struggled in his iron grip. His cold, unforgiving eyes stared deeply into hers. After a few moments, Eighteen stopped struggling as Gohan sighed, tossing her to the ground. She crawled backwards until her back was against some rocks. She had nowhere to go. History was repeating itself and she had no way to stop it!

"You look scared."

Eighteen's breath halted in her throat. Fear was not really a concept she related with at all. She had no idea what it felt like. Glancing down, she looked at her hands only to see them trembling violently. Her entire body was shaking, the anticipation of her death dawning on her once again. She had died so quickly last time, her last memory had been of this boy, his eyes filled to the brim with hatred, but now… when she looked at him. All she could see was pity.

"I always saw you as monsters incapable of feeling fear, but I just realized something," Gohan paused for a moment. "You were once human as well, weren't you?" Eighteen didn't respond. She watched as Gohan raised a hand, a ball of bright yellow energy circled within his palm. It was warm and almost welcoming. "Do you have nothing to say?"

After a few moments of silence, Gohan sighed once again. The energy in his hand intensified as he prepared to end her existence, once again.

"Gohan, stop!" A power landed behind him, one that he recognized. Turning he saw a black haired girl with a white coat. She had amber eyes and a black sword tied to her back. Blake Belladonna had arrived, just in time to witness the execution of one of his most hated enemies. Her eyes were filled to the brim with disapproval. However, Gohan did not allow the energy in his hand to disappear. "What are you doing?!"

"What I have to."

"You're going to kill her!? She's defenseless!"

"She's just a memory, Blake. Nothing more."

" _What?_ " Eighteen thought angrily as she glared at Gohan. A memory? Was that what he thought she was? Was that… truly all she was? All she could remember was her death and then suddenly, she was here… on this strange barren wasteland with her brother at her side. The moment her eyes landed on Gohan, her hatred had clouded her mind. She had tunnel vision for revenge. It had blocked out all the questions she had when she arrived here. What was this place? Who were these people? All she cared about was killing Gohan.

"What does that mean?" Blake questioned, clearly confused at the situation. She had just arrived in time to see Gohan almost kill someone. In her books, the only person that deserved to die was Cell and arguably Salem. She was still conflicted on what to do with Salem. The more she used her recently acquired knowledge to try and figure out what exactly drove Salem to be the person she was today, the more she wanted to try and give the witch another chance. However, trying to root out the hatred that had grown and cemented itself over hundreds of years would be an almost impossible task.

"She was created from my memories, Blake. Salem used the Relic of Creation to pull her from my head and give her a physical form. She's evil. I won't let her do to this planet what she did to mine."

"And what _did_ she do?!"

"She's one of the two Androids I told you about."

Blake paused, peering at Android Eighteen who remained with her back against the rocks. The fearful look in her eyes was hard to place with the mixture of anger in there. Something Gohan had said had ticked the blonde off.

"A memory!?" Eighteen raged. "How dare you claim that we are just memories! I'm _alive_ and so is my brother! If I have to prove that to you, I'd be more than happy to!"

"Then you will end up just like your brother!" Gohan roared back at her, shutting her up. Blake walked up to Gohan and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't need to kill her. We're stronger than her. She doesn't need to die."

"There are some of those, who words can't reach."

"You really believe she is one of them?"

Gohan didn't respond. He could never fathom the mere idea of allowing Seventeen and Eighteen to live after what they had done to him and his friends back on Earth. They had all died trying to stop these monsters from slaughtering innocents and they just laughed as each fighter fell.

Then again, so did Vegeta when he and Nappa came to Earth. Redemption was something Gohan wasn't too fond on giving out. His experiences with enemies told him they could not change. His entire life had been made a Hell because of them.

Gohan opened his mouth to respond to Blake's question but stopped. Turning his head to the left, he quickly glanced over to where Yang and Pyrrha's energy were. It seemed they had bested Freeza. A small bubble of pride formed in his chest.

Freeza had been enough to give his dad problems even as a Super Saiyan. Had they really come that far? Their potential to grow was almost as much as his. He may not have believed it had he not been here to witness it.

"Gohan?" Blake said softly, breaking him out of his stupor. He turned his gaze back to the black haired faunus, before glaring at Eighteen again.

"She's not real," Gohan stated impassively. "She's nothing but a fabrication of one of my nightmares from my past. The only reason she exists is because of the Relic's power."

"I AM REAL!" Eighteen screamed in denial. Energy sparked to life in her hands as she readied herself to attack. Gohan didn't move an inch, all while Blake flinched. "I don't know what kind of nonsense you keep spouting on about but if you're so intent on believing that I'm not real, then I'll just have to show you."

"I'm not sure you understand," Gohan replied, lacking any kind of emotion in his tone. "I killed you almost fourteen years ago. Both you and your brother have been dead for years. You may look, talk, fight, and act like her but you're not really her. I know this, because I can _sense_ your energy," Gohan explained, letting his energy attack in his hand dissipate. His arms fell to his sides, all while Eighteen continued to stay on edge. She looked confused, as did Blake. What did that have anything to do with the current situation?

"What?" Eighteen growled viciously. Gohan regarded her with pity in his eyes. After a few moments, the riddle to the current situation arrived for Blake due to her memories gifted to her by the Guardian. Centuries worth of knowledge at her disposal and she was only just now figuring it out when Gohan mentioned the relics.

"Your form… your body, was created by the Relic that Salem has," Gohan said. "You're a copy given form because of how I remember you. What Salem saw, she recreated."

"He's right, mostly," Blake started, drawing the attention to her. "The Relics are capable of breaking the boundaries of reality. If what Gohan says is true and you were one of the Androids that terrorized his home, then you are not the same as you were before."

"What nonsense…" the blonde woman hissed. "I remember dying as clear as day. All I remember next is being here, cured of all my injuries and a chance for revenge given to me. I swore I'd make you pay for killing my brother and I"

"The point is," Blake cut in, glaring at the blonde. "You're not androids anymore. You're human."

That seemed to get her attention. The power in her hands fluctuated as she glared at Blake.

"What?" she uttered hatefully.

"Your body," Gohan said, drawing her attention back to him. "You're human now. It's why I can sense you and your brother. It was also why I found it increasingly easier to beat the both of you. The magic of the Relics did not bring you back as androids. They brought you back from Salem's understanding of my memories. You both appear human, therefore, she brought you back human. Since you're not androids in those current forms, your power is not infinite. You've been running out of stamina and you haven't even realized it."

"You're lying!" Eighteen denied desperately. The moment the words left Gohan's mouth, she felt a heavy weight crash down on top of her. It was suffocating. She felt tired, exhausted… as if her body was trying to kill itself. She hadn't even noticed it until now. The power she had been so used to controlling was barely there anymore. If she wasn't an android, there was no way she was going to beat this guy without her infinite supply of energy! The horrific realization dawned on her features that she truly was going to die to him again.

With a brief glance over his shoulder, she caught sight of her twin brother, lying facedown on the ground. She couldn't die here, she had to win! She had to show this boy that he shouldn't mess with her, or her brother! With a roar, she charged forward, Gohan didn't even bother evading. She threw her strongest attacks against him. With each punch and kick, Gohan didn't budge an inch. He stood tall, like an immovable wall. She wailed away at him, desperate to do any kind of damage. However, it was a lost cause.

"Just give up," Gohan said passively. Eighteen silently refused. She absolutely refused to stop until one of them went down. Unfortunately, she was forced to stop when a hand grabbed hers. She looked to her left to see Blake, casually grabbing her arm, stopping her from attacking Gohan.

"That's enough. You're beaten."

"No! If I don't kill him, I'm dead! I won't die! Not again!"

She ripped herself from Blake's grip, only to find that she suddenly lost control of her body. Gohan nailed her right in the stomach, his foot outstretched as she flew a couple of yards, hitting the ground at tremendous speed, ripping her clothes and tearing up her body. She tumbled, rolling across the rocky wasteland before coming to a stop. Slowly and painfully, she pushed herself to her feet. Seventeen was still alive. She had to keep going. She had to protect her brother!

Gohan landed in front of her, followed shortly by Blake.

"I've already killed you once. Don't make me do it again."

Before she had a chance to respond, the sky was bathed in a bright light that almost blinded everyone in the vicinity. A pillar of energy shot into the sky, piercing the planet's atmosphere and shooting off into space. A wall of dust and debris tore through the area forcing everyone to raise their arms to shield themselves. Gohan peered through his guard, reading the energy that was being released very carefully. The person that was generating that kind of power knew the consequence of using that amount of energy so recklessly.

A few moments later and the light died down. Eighteen looked around to investigate what had caused that blinding light. As she did so, she caught sight of her brother, his body smoking and peeling away like paper being burned like ash.

"Seventeen!" She rushed to his side, Blake and Gohan made no attempt to stop her. When she arrived at her brother's body, it was almost gone. She went to put a hand on it, only for the rest of his form to erupt into ash. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the hand that would have touched Seventeen, only to see that it too, was starting to fade away. Confusion exploded inside her head. Her mind raced as the skin on her hands started to peel away, the flesh turning to ash that flew away in the breeze. Horror gripped her heart as tears slowly formed in her eyes.

"What's happening to me?"

"You're fading," Blake explained, landing next to her. "It seems that the Relic that gave you life has either been destroyed, or it has run out of power. I'm not sure which one," the faunus informed sadly. Eighteen's eyes clenched shut, the weight of all her actions sitting on top of her. She wouldn't call it regret. What she had done to humanity was unforgivable and she knew that… but regret wasn't something she felt. She was angry at humanity… for what it had done to both her and Seventeen. Dr. Gero wanted to create monsters to do his bidding. Well… he got monsters.

"I don't want to die like this."

"You're already dead," Gohan stated walking up to the disappearing blonde and his faunus friend. "You've been dead for years. That fact has never changed. The body you've been inhabiting is falling apart and shortly, I have no doubt you will return to the afterlife," the Saiyan retorted. There was silence between the trio as Eighteen slowly started to fall to pieces. Her arms and legs were almost gone, leaving only the main part of her body still intact.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry it had to come to this."

"What?" Eighteen sounded, completely surprised that the words had come out of Gohan's mouth. The Saiyan merely turned away, refusing to meet her eyes.

"I already killed you once. That should be payment enough for the crimes you committed against the people of Earth. Dying a second time… well…" Gohan trailed off. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemies. I hope you find some kind of peace in the afterlife," there was no sincerity in his voice. Eighteen couldn't exactly blame him and neither could Blake.

Eighteen's final moments were done in silence. No more words were exchanged as her body faded away. Blake sighed as the last vestiges of the woman floated away like dust in the wind.

"You know," Blake started. "When you first told me about the Androids… I wasn't expecting them to look so…" Blake trailed off, finding it hard to say the right word. Gohan merely sighed.

"Human?"

"Yeah."

A pregnant silence hung around them as a breeze blew past them, the atmosphere dark and foreboding. Death was in the air and it soured the mood greatly.

"It's Ozpin, isn't it?" Blake asked, hoping she was wrong. Gohan nodded grimly.

"Let's end this so we can go home."

Blake nodded as their auras exploded around them before they took off into the sky, heading back to the main battlefield once more.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Centuries of animosity had been leading up to this very moment.

The constant conflict with humanity and the Grimm. Today was the day that decided who was going to move forward as the main power in Remnant.

Standing in a clearing of silence, listening to the sounds of war all around them, Ozpin and Salem stood off against each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Salem had gotten what she had wanted. Distractions to pull them all away from the man she so desperately wanted to kill herself. She had planned to have him fall at Beacon by Cinder's hand but evidently, that didn't seem to work out the way she had expected.

"All things must come to an end, Ozpin."

"Must you be so poetic? It's rather dull. You're going to perish Salem, that much is clear to me. Whether it be by my hand, Gohan's, or Qrow's… it doesn't matter. It's like I told you. I am but a man. If you kill me, it does nothing but satisfy your own needs. There are plenty of others strong enough to fill my shoes once I'm gone," Ozpin retorted with a smirk. Salem's smirk turned to a frown, shortly morphing into a scowl the moment the words began to sink in.

"You are not going to stop me."

"Perhaps not, but someone will."

Without another word, an irate growl from Salem signaled her desire to attack. She shot forward at speeds that impressed Ozpin. She didn't seem like the fighting type and it clearly showed. She wasn't nearly fast enough to kill him. Sure she had magical power that bent the rules of reality itself, but as long as she couldn't hit him with that sword of hers, he had nothing to fear from her. However, the magical barrier that surrounded her posed an issue. It took the combined power of Gohan, Yang, and the others to crack it. That was power he did not possess, so it seemed they were stuck in a stalemate.

"You can't run away from me forever, coward," Salem mocked. Ozpin retreated back a few meters, a white aura surrounding his form while a green outline clung to his body. If she even got in a lucky shot with that sword, it could all be over. "With the power of the Relics at my disposal, I might as well be a _God_. You may be faster than me, but it is like you said… you are but a man. You will tire out eventually, while I continue to pull from the Relics' infinite power."

"Everything has a weakness, Salem."

"You're optimism is quite impressive considering your situation. You truly are the representation of what humanity is. I'm going to enjoy snuffing it out."

This battle was one of patience. Salem continued to chase Ozpin around the battlefield as if they were two children in a deathly game of tag. Ozpin knew he couldn't do any damage as long as that shield was up. He needed to exploit a weakness but right now, that was proving extremely hard to find. Ozpin's speed due to his knowledge of Ki allowed him to outmaneuver Salem easily, while her attacks butchered the canyon they occupied. With every slash and slice, rocks and crystals were erased from existence. A purple energy surrounded the sword ominously, like it was a hungry animal, waiting to consume anything it touched Even the molten liquid seeping from the gashes of the earth was at the mercy of the dark blade.

Ozpin eyed the sword carefully, noting its destructive power. It was cutting through anything, even his own energy blasts and practically erasing them from existence. Perhaps… Salem's ultimate offensive would prove to be her greatest mistake. If he could time his movements correctly…

"Come and face me you coward!" Salem yelled, displaying her clear frustration with their battle. It was going nowhere fast. Ozpin showed no signs of slowing down, while Salem refused to stop her assault. Her attacks were becoming more telegraphed by the moment and her anger was playing to his advantage. Just a little longer then he'd be able to exploit her frustration and use her own power against her. He fired off a few energy blasts for good measure, mainly to obscure her view and anger her.

"Is this all you're capable of doing!?" Salem roared. "Running away and attacking from a distance!? You fool! As if I would be stupid enough to let your attempts to hurt me work. I will _not_ entertain these mindless games!"

"My predecessors warned me about you. I've spent my entire life preparing to fight you, in the event that this day would come. I'm not about to throw my chances away by letting you get cheap shots on me. I will protect Remnant, as my sworn duty to protect mankind from the darkness and machinations of the creatures of Grimm. That includes you, Salem. You're going to have to try harder to kill me."

"Such arrogance," Salem hissed. "I don't intend to allow you to achieve victory so easily."

The fight raged on as it had been, the ex-headmaster of Beacon Academy evading every blow Salem attempted to send his way while delivering counterattacks when he could. The fruitlessness of his attacks became more evident over time as the shield just continued to absorb any damage he tried to deal. Because of her apparent invincibility, Salem had become more reckless with her movements and attacks. She blatantly ignored her blind-spots in favor for obliterating any area that Ozpin appeared in. With a single swipe of her sword, the landscape around her changed, like a painting on a canvas.

"Fine…" Salem growled. The sword in her hand started to glow dangerously. The obsidian aura around it intensified as it began charging an inconceivable amount of energy. Ozpin's eyes widened. If he let that attack go off, it would no doubt be enough to wipe out all life in the area.

Maybe pushing Salem's frustrations to the limit wasn't such a good idea, but it seemed like it was now or never to execute his plan that still had no endgame to it.

As Ozpin raced forward, he charged a blast in his hand in preparation for his attack. As he closed in on Salem, she smirked. Swinging her sword directly at him, Ozpin had no choice but to dodge… however, he did not retreat this time.

Firing the blast towards the ground in front of her, the force of the blast caught the sword mid-swing, altering its trajectory. A shocked look overwhelmed her features as the tip of the blade cut through her shield like butter, creating a small opening for his arm to fit through. Using this sudden opening, Ozpin reached in and grabbed Salem's hand, which also happened to have the Relic of Creation on it.

Using his other hand, he tossed away his cane in order to pin Salem's sword hand in place so she couldn't attack. With her shield damaged, he had managed to incapacitate her for the time being.

However, he did not manage to plan this far ahead. What he did now, he wasn't quite sure. He needed to think fast, as he could already see the hole in Salem's shield start to mend itself together. He had less than a minute at most before the fight resumed as it had been and Ozpin knew Salem wasn't stupid enough to make the same mistake twice.

"An interesting tactic," Salem growled as she struggled against his overwhelming strength. Proving fruitless after a quick few attempts, Salem knew she had to try something else before Ozpin got any smart ideas. "We both seem to be at a standstill. If you are thinking you can take the Ring from me, or Destroy it, then you are more foolish than I gave you credit for."

"The Relics are indestructible. Only the power beyond that of the Gods can destroy them. I also know, that you have probably fused your very flesh with the Relic, preventing any attempt to take it off," Ozpin stated, his tone displaying no surprise whatsoever. Salem's arrogant smile disappeared as her predictions of the man had suddenly flown out the window. If he wasn't trying to destroy the Relic, or take it from her, then what was he trying to accomplish with this suicidal tactic?

"Let go of me," Salem hissed. She started to pull once again against his grip, knowing that he had something else planned. Whatever it was, she didn't want to find out. Suddenly, Ozpin started to pull on her arm. She panicked, knowing with his incredible strength it would only take him a few short seconds to rip it from her body completely.

"I'll just take your arm instead."

For once, a crippling fear bubbled up inside of her chest. She was completely defenseless. Her eyes started to shine brightly, her crimson orbs bore into Ozpin's in a desperate attempt to influence his mind. Her semblance working away furiously to stop the man from dismembering her. To her wonder, his strength started to fade as his mind started to fall prey to her orders.

She grinned as she used the Relic of Choice to amplify her semblance. Ozpin's eyes started to change back and forth between his normal color and a shade of blood red.

"You think you could outsmart me!?" Salem boomed as she pushed her semblance to her limit. Ozpin's mind was safely guarded but with the Relic of Choice, overwhelming him wouldn't take long. He was one of the most powerful Huntsmen to walk the planet. Even with the power of the Relic, bringing him under her rule would take a while. It was better than having her arm pulled off. No matter. She could slowly torture him once he was under her command. She didn't want him as her servant… the idea of having him as her torture subject was most amusing.

As Salem began to laugh, Ozpin struggled under the crippling pain his mind was placed under. It would be a few seconds before he was overwhelmed and even if he managed to resist, the shield would fix itself, taking his arm off in the process. He had to act now before his chance of defeating Salem was lost. A resolve suddenly burned throughout his body as the answer came to him. He had no time to think up any other solution.

This was it. He was out of time.

There was no other choice.

Summoning what remained of his control and power, he let his energy burst forth. His entire body was encased in a burning green aura, covered in a white flame. Salem's eyes widened as she felt his power swell to the surface, a hurricane of power rose up and encased them in a tornado of energy and light. He would not allow himself to succumb to her power and if that meant he had to make the ultimate sacrifice, then that's what he would do.

Somehow he knew it was going to end this way. Humanity's spark did not end with him… no, if anything, this would just make it burn brighter.

" _Some men live too long_ ," Ozpin thought with a bitter smile.

Salem's furious look was coupled with emotions that betrayed her true feelings. Fear and horror were evident all over her features as she was blinded by Ozpin's overbearing power. As the light grew brighter, he could feel his body grow weaker as his energy swelled. He felt a sense of peace spread throughout his body and mind, pushing out that darkness that Salem was trying to force into him. It wasn't going to work out in her favor.

"YOU COWARD!" Salem roared in a rage. "DON'T YOU DARE ROB ME OF MY REVENGE! **I** **WON'T LET YOU!** "

"You already have."

The words flowed out of his mouth like a tranquil river. His eyes shut as his power exploded, engulfing the entire area and razing the canyon they occupied into a smoking hole in the ground. Salem wailed in agony as the light swallowed her whole. The burning light exploded into the sky, a beam of energy that could be seen for miles. The attack shook the very foundations of the planet, mountains in the area crumbling under the immense force that had been exerted.

In a few moments, the cataclysm calmed and the world turned silent.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I feel like I outdid myself with this chapter.**

 **I have to give credit to my editors for cleaning up the fights, plus a small shoutout to J-Dude, writer of Transposition F for some pointers on how to write Freeza. If you haven't seen his story, I suggest you go check it out. I've never seen Freeza written so perfectly on any fanfiction website.**

 **At this point, if the RWBY characters can't match Freeza, then they're not going to be much help against Cell, right? You guys probably saw this coming. I tried to make the fight as engaging and enjoyable as I could. I wanted to make it believable. I didn't want to have them shit-stomping Freeza and vise versa. Yang and the others have come so far in this story, and having them face off against Freeza at max power is probably the best way to show just how far they've progressed.**

 **By no means was it an easy fight. Yang was able to survive long enough to let her Semblance soak in all the damage Freeza was doing to her, and then turn it back on him in one explosive show of power, which pushed her up to the strength of Super Saiyan Goku. That might be a bit hard to swallow, but that power boost was only temporary. I felt like I did that fight justice to really show how different all the characters are now.**

 **The fight between Gohan and the Androids was one-sided. We've already seen him fight them, and he's only gotten stronger since then. The fight was more… symbolic, than to provide an action-packed fight scene. Let me know what you guys think.  
**

 **And lastly, yeah… Ozpin. Let's see what you guys think of that.**

 **I think that's enough for now. I'll see you guys in the next chapter.**


	22. Ultimate Perfection

**A/N:**

 **Phew, time flies doesn't it? I've been a bit lazy when it comes to this story. I've been working on other fanfictions to pass the time. Probably nothing you guys would be interested, namely a Warcraft story. Anyway, this chapter has been a long time coming and it officially marks the end of the second arc! Now we move onto the third and final arc!**

 **Expect the next Pride of Four update somewhere down the line when I'm not busy with University and work. Also on another side note, couple of my friends pointed out that I have a TV Tropes mention. Not a page per-say, but more like a special mention on the RWBY Crossover section. I'm kind of surprised actually. I honestly never expected this story to become this popular.**

 **Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Two: Ultimate Perfection_

There was a twinge of terror in the air as the Branwen siblings stood off against their longtime friend and leader.

Both of them felt partly responsible for her current state, and neither Qrow nor Raven could shake it. The form of Summer Rose stood in front of them, looking broken and twisted beyond all recognition. The grip of their weapons tightened as the abomination's fingers curled into fists. In a flash, the officially deceased Rose fired off a lightning bolt that struck Qrow in the chest. He skidded back, electricity circling his body.

Raven took this moment to dash forward, her sword unsheathed and ready to strike. A horizontal slash was all Raven needed to determine her ex-leader's current strength. To Raven's astonishment, Summer had caught the blade with absolutely no difficulty. She snapped the blade in half and grabbed the female Branwen by the face. Power erupted in the woman's hand, and in a split second, it exploded. Raven's screams echoed across the hellscape as she was propelled backwards.

A quick reaction from Qrow allowed him to catch his sister before she crashed into an obsidian cluster. He steadied her as she clutched her face in pain. There was no visible damage, but Raven could feel the burning sensation eating away at her aura. So many years of training and perfecting her control over her Ki and yet, her only daughter had surpassed her without much difficulty or practice.

Clearly, Qrow was in the same boat, but it was frustrating all the same, having so much power and still finding yourself outmatched. Her anger had helped fuel her motivation to get stronger, and often served as a great energy burst, but here she felt powerless. This was Summer Rose they were fighting! Could she really bring herself to strike down her beloved team leader?

She had been nothing but kind and supportive all throughout her years at Beacon Academy, and yet… now she was the one being forced to serve Salem like a mindless puppet! Was there really anything left of the person Raven had come to care about? While she had abandoned her daughter, lover, brother, and best friend, she still cared for them deeply.

"Can we really do it?" Raven questioned, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Qrow let go of her as she discarded the pain that plagued her thoughts. She glanced at the broken crimson blade, a scowl appearing on her face. She had been attacking with little resolve, hesitation behind her strikes. This was something that had only happened when she had been fighting with Yang. There was a feeling she couldn't shake, and from the look in her brother's eyes, he was experiencing the same thing. The struggle to push past the feelings they had for Summer. The feeling of a family, a team… it wouldn't die and if Raven was honest, it never had. It was always there in the back of her mind. They had grown up, fought, and bled together. "Can we really kill her?" her words reached Qrow's ears.

"I don't know," the man replied honestly. "But if anyone's going to do it. It's going to be us. I suppose it would be a mercy after what she's been through, and that's all the motivation I need," he finished activating the mechanism on his sword. It momentarily shifted into its scythe form. Raven silently acknowledged her brother's words, sheathing her sword and switching the blade to a different element. Removing the sword from its sheath once more, the white blade glimmered as she eyed her ex-leader. Summer's emotionless silver eyes glared back at them, as if she were beckoning them to attack at once.

"Let's go!"

On Raven's command, both she and Qrow shot forwards to engage Summer. Qrow charged towards their ex-leader at an angle aiming to sweep her legs out from under her. The Grimm monstrosity nimbly hopped over the sickle blade causing the male Branwen to dash past her with his momentum. Raven assaulted the Grimm with a flurry of attempted swipes ranging from her midsection to her head. Summer easily dodged the attacks her face never wavering, but ever taunting.

Qrow rushed back into the fight with a wide horizontal slash, his blade twirling around him in a violent frenzy. Summoning two elemental swords from pure magical power, Summer blocked and parried each attack the Branwen siblings threw at her. Speeding across the battlefield, unsuspecting Grimm were vaporized and sliced into pieces. Mortals who had ascended to almost god-like status compared to the rest of those on Remnant, fought with determination and resolve never before seen in huntsmen before.

With each clash, Raven's swords kept shattering, forcing her to switch out to different elements. Very soon, she would be completely out of options, and would have to resort to using brute strength and ki. Qrow, on the other hand, was having difficulty evading Summer's volatile weapons, seeing as they were made of pure magical energy. They had no trouble cutting through his enhanced aura and breaching his flesh. Both Raven and Qrow found they were equally matched with the ex-leader. Summer sustained visible wounds to her body. Her signature clothing had been ripped and torn, revealing black veins and ghostly white skin. Whatever was corrupting her kept her completely silent and obedient.

Qrow managed to get in a lucky strike, his scythe breaching Summer's guard and ripping at her flesh. His eyes widened when he saw the tip of his weapon rip a bit of clothing off her upper chest, only to see the strangest looking creature he had ever laid eyes on. Some kind of Grimm bug had latched itself onto her skin and was dug deep into her flesh, precisely above where her heart was. The Branwen siblings exchanged glances, both of them showing clear shock. Not only that, but it also confirmed that Summer was still in there somewhere!

Her aura was still active!

Raven smirked.

"I think we just found her weakness."

"Yeah," Qrow cracked a small smile. "Aura doesn't protect Grimm. We need to be careful how we attack it. Too much force and we might kill her. Not enough force, and we won't do any damage. This is going to be tricky," he finished. At least the option of sparing her had become available. Both siblings had been ready to put aside their feelings for their leader just to put her out of her misery. Now it seemed like Salem had done something to Summer to keep her under control. If they removed that parasitic Grimm, maybe Summer might return to normal! It was a theory, but at this point, Raven and Qrow were willing to try anything.

The Grimm pulsated with power, a dark aura ignited around Summer. Dark and obsidian crystals were buffeted away from the miniature vortex that surrounded her, causing both Qrow and Raven to shield their faces from the debris. The Grimm controlling her seemed to be compensating for the sudden reveal of its crippling weakness by amplifying Summer's power. The black veins that were visible all over Summer's body started to change to a crimson red as the mind-controlled huntress's power reached new heights.

The amount of power it was exerting was monstrous, and it was enough to scare both of the Branwen siblings. At the zenith of its increase, it emitted a horrible wail which seemed to be a twisted combination of Summer's pain and the monster's fury. Its power exceeded their own by miles, and suddenly the battle seemed to take a turn for the worse.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire," Qrow drawled, slightly daunted by the power he was feeling. Raven could only nod, sweat starting to form on her features.

"So it seems."

The blazing aura that surrounded Summer suddenly vanished, and seconds later, her physical form did the same. Qrow's eyes widened as Summer appeared behind Raven. Before he could even utter a word, the Grimm-huntress spin-kicked Raven's lower back. Unbelievable pain surged through Raven's body as she was catapulted forward. Summer turned her attention to Qrow almost instantaneously. He lifted his guard and blocked a punch from the woman, the force from the action shattering the ground beneath them. He grunted as he immediately found himself being overwhelmed. A growl escaped from Qrow's throat as his own power burst forward and he tried to fight back.

"Come on, Summer, fight it-!" his words were cut off as she broke off her assault and changed angles, taking out his legs in a single swing of her leg. He was taken off his feet, only to see a dark energy blast explode from Summer's hand and engulf his entire form. He was carried for what felt like miles until he crashed into a small hill of rocks and crystals.

The blast exploded, his final reserves of aura tanking the immense blow in his stead. Luckily, he had sustained little damage, but now Qrow was fighting without an aura. Another attack like that could land him in a life-threatening situation. Crawling out of the debris, he brushed himself off and spat out a bit of blood.

"So, talking is out of the question. I guess we're doing this the hard way," the man growled, lifting his scythe back up in front of him. It whirred to life as it quickly reverted to its sword form. Their advantage of speed had just been rendered moot, his large sickle would only hinder them in this fight. He looked over towards Raven's downed form, watching her slowly climb to her feet. Rage roared through her eyes as she gazed at the back of the huntress that had attacked her with such speed. She had always known Summer to be the fastest of their team, but she had never seen the woman move that fast before. No doubt it had something to do with her sudden increase in power. How were they supposed to hit a target that moved too fast for them to even _see?_

"We might as well be throwing our heads against a wall," Raven hissed as she tossed away her broken sword and depleted sheath. A dark red aura exploded around her as she let her Ki surge throughout her body. Powering up to maximum, she felt her body renew with strength. Summer turned her head slightly to see Raven standing perfectly still, a blood red aura circling her body. She turned her head back to Qrow, as if analyzing the situation.

It was almost like the Grimm was fighting for her, and they were just fighting a Grimm using Summer's body. It was sickening how such a thing was possible. They knew Geist Grimm could possess objects, animals, and other materials, but never had they seen a Grimm actually possess a _huntress_. Aura was supposed to protect against that.

Unless Salem had attached this Grimm once Summer had run out of aura, but even then once her aura regenerated, it would reject the intrusions. Something inhuman and foul must have been done to their beloved leader for Salem to successfully do something like this, and it made the siblings sick to their stomachs.

Once again, Summer was the first to attack. Dashing towards Qrow, she engaged, throwing attacks at lightning speed. Raven was quick to join the fight, attacking Summer from behind. She was being extra careful now that she didn't have a weapon. Qrow was also sticking to the defensive seeing as he was out of aura. Raven attacked Summer with all of her power from behind, forcing Summer into a balanced defensive and offensive play. While she blocked Raven's attacks from behind, she also attacked Qrow, seeing as he was the weakened one.

A lapse in movement from Summer allowed for Qrow to take the advantage, overwhelming the woman, he pushed Summer into Raven who was ready for a brutal attack. She raised her knee and rammed it straight into the mind-controlled huntress's spine. A crack was heard, as well as a scream of pain, one that was undoubtedly human. It was enough to freeze Raven from continuing her assault, as well as stop Qrow right in his tracks. Summer harmlessly landed a few meters away from the two siblings and fell to her knees, clutching her chest where the Grimm still latched on tightly. Her breathing was erratic and her eyes were shaking chaotically.

"Summer!" Raven screamed. The woman didn't respond, or maybe she couldn't.

"Maybe landing precise blows allows her to fight back for control. I'm guessing that Grimm is having trouble fighting the both of us and keeping Summer under control. I think she's fighting back!" Qrow suggested. They both watched as Summer slowly returned to her feet, looking angrier than before. The Grimm had clearly gotten back under control, but for that brief moment, the Branwen siblings knew Summer had regained control, if only for a split second. They all needed to keep fighting, for now there was a slight chance they could return Summer to normal!

Energy swirled around the huntress in the white cloak. Both Qrow and Raven watched with anticipation as Summer's power continued to grow, energy pooling in front of her. A small crater began to expand outward from her position as rock and dirt were immediately vaporized in the vicinity. A dark, crackling ball of energy sparked with power. The raw magical energy of two maidens, combined with the amazing capability of Ki, and Summer was about to use it against the both of them. Holding their ground, the siblings prepared for the assault that could possibly kill them. They watched the energy in front of Summer's body grow to an inconceivable size!

"That's not good," Qrow swallowed. Even if they wanted to, they wouldn't be able to dodge an attack like that. The amount of power behind that attack would be enough to crack the planet in half!

"We have to block it! There's no telling what kind of damage an attack like that can do to the area, let alone the entire planet!" Raven shot back. The two siblings powered up just in time to watch their ex-leader fire the mass of energy directly at them. Just like they had predicted the attack closed the distance in less than a second. It slammed into both of them, Qrow and Raven both struggling to even stand against the energy, let alone push it back. The dark energy ball fired from Summer had halted the moment it collided with the brother and sister.

There was a pain, unlike anything either of them had ever felt before. It was like their muscles and flesh were ripping from the strain. The sheer amount of focus and concentration to regulate their own power to be able to stand against a blast like this was astronomical. Not in a million years had Qrow or Raven thought they would end up in a situation like this. It seemed almost laughable that such a thing was even possible in the first place. To them, this was the power that rivaled the gods, and for them to even get a taste of it was glorious enough. Now they found themselves in a battle that decided the fate of their world. They had never asked for this. They were both raised by thieves and murderers, sent to Beacon to figure out how to kill huntsmen!

Now, here they were fighting for the future of mankind!

Raven felt herself losing ground, her body slowly scraping across the ground. She looked to her left to see Qrow noticing the same thing. They were completely at their limit, unable to push any further. Was this how it ended? After everything they had been through, were they really about to die to their mind-controlled ex-team leader? It almost felt like their final moments were happening in slow motion. A sense of peace overcame Raven as she turned back into the blast, a smile on her face. She continued to push as pain threatened to overwhelm her body. She could tell Qrow was having the same thoughts. They were simply outmatched in power. Summer was faster and stronger than both of them.

Seconds from death, and Raven could practically see it coming. Her eyes closed as the remainder of her strength left her.

Then…

" _What?_ " Raven's eyes slowly opened again, only to find that she wasn't dead. Her body was still wracked with pain, but the blast hadn't engulfed her yet. She looked to her left once more to see that Qrow had also collapsed, but his eyes were trained on something else. In the middle of the two, was a furious red blur, slowly pushing back the blast. The heat rolling off this strangely familiar figure was so intense, and it only amplified as the small figure's voice echoed over the waves of energy currently trying to destroy them. As she narrowed her eyes, she almost couldn't believe who it was.

Red cape.

Black corset and blouse.

Red and black boots.

Dark hair with crimson tips.

With a roar, the girl threw her hands up, directing the blast into the sky. The dark energy wave ripped through the clouds above the barren wasteland and rocketed straight into the sky, narrowly missing the shattered moon. Once the dust had cleared, the red aura disappeared and the girl touched down right in the middle of Raven and Qrow. She wore an impassive scowl on her face, and her iconic silver eyes displayed determination. It was impossible to conceive! It was like the two siblings were staring at a ghost! Was it really her? But… how could it possibly be?

"Ruby…?" Qrow whispered, disbelief in his voice.

It was no mirage or illusion.

Ruby Rose had returned and she was back with a vengeance.

The ferociousness in her eyes reminded both Raven and Qrow of Summer, back when they were all still in a team together. The rare moments when the kind-hearted woman would reveal the anger and misery that she kept locked inside of her. Ruby was practically a splitting image of her, and yet here she was, standing off against her own mother. It had been so many years, and finally, the two had been reunited under the absolute worst circumstances.

Ruby's gaze was locked onto the woman who wore the white cloak, a dark scowl permeating her face.

Slowly, the red-caped girl reached behind her and unclipped a long crimson, rectangular object. With a click, it extended and unfolded into Ruby's signature weapon, Crescent Rose. With a single hand, she pulled it up and rested the weapon on her shoulder. Not once did her gaze move from the mind-controlled huntress in front of her.

Qrow and Raven were still trying to process how someone who had clearly died had returned from the grave and saved them at the last second. She looked exactly the same as she did almost a year ago. However, a quick feel of her energy was all the siblings needed to realize that this was _not_ the same Ruby they knew. Her energy was astronomically larger than it had been before.

"You're the last person I'd ever want to fight," Ruby started, her voice shaking slightly. The conflict was as clear as day in her eyes. The years of utter misery that Ruby had kept bottled up were starting to overflow and she had only just arrived. The fact that she was staring at what looked like the physical appearance of her mother was enough to push her closer to the edge. Qrow and Raven slowly got to their feet, having had a few moments to recover their strength. The small girl took a few steps forward, her silver eyes starting to glow slightly as she did so.

"Ruby," Raven started, trying to find the right words for such a situation. "How are you alive? Cell killed you!"

"I can explain later," the young Rose retorted quickly. The same red aura igniting her once more, her power multiplying several times over. Qrow and Raven actually had to shield their eyes as Ruby began powering up, a sizeable cloud of dust surrounding them. A bright white light started to leak out of Ruby's eyes as she continued to increase her power. The earth around her started to shake as the ground beneath her split under the overwhelming force. Ruby kept pushing until her power exceeded that of Qrow and Raven's, but she wasn't close to her limit yet. Balancing out, she allowed her energy to equalize itself as the red aura coated her entire body. "Right now, _I_ have to take care of her."

"You're going to fight her by yourself!?" Raven hissed, unable to comprehend the stupidity of her ex-leader's daughter. "Qrow and I could barely handle her on our own! What makes you think you'll be any kind of match for her? She's being empowered by that Grimm! If we don't work together to save her, we will all die! She has the power of _two_ Maidens!" the female Branwen finished. The crimson themed scythe user didn't remove her gaze from the brainwashed huntress. She had trained with heroes to make a difference, and now that she was here, that was exactly what she was going to do.

"Don't worry," Ruby replied, a sense of ease to her voice. "I'm much stronger than I was before. I can beat her."

"That much is obvious," Qrow quipped from her side. "I would love to ask you every question that's on all of our minds right now, but we are in a bit of a bind here. Maybe the questions can wait till later. Just don't go off and die like you did last time. I don't think there's enough alcohol on Remnant that can get me through that a second time."

"I don't plan on it," was the only thing Ruby said before she literally vanished from sight.

Qrow, nor Raven could even follow her movements. In a split second, she was behind Summer, unleashing an arsenal of attacks on the unsuspecting woman. Unable to block, the brainwashed huntress took the full brunt of Ruby's attacks. Energy attacks, coupled with physical punch and kick combos, Crescent Rose mixed in to add a little bit of unpredictability. Her speed was unrivaled, and her physical form was nothing but a blur. Flashing around Summer as if she were a predator surrounding its prey, she slowly chipped away at the corrupted huntress's defenses.

Summer even tried to use an energy explosion to regain some ground, but that only forced Ruby to retreat for a few seconds, before diving right back in. There was no ground to be gained from Summer's side, and it became very apparent that the battle had become one-sided in Ruby's favor. Mother was battling daughter and was losing on all grounds. Granted, Summer wasn't herself, and she was being controlled, every movement and action calculated and commanded by that Grimm latched onto her chest.

A hurricane of red petals surrounded the area as Ruby quite literally ran circles around her opponent. To Raven, it almost looked like history was repeating itself, if only briefly. Her battle with Yang coming to mind.

The next generation truly outgrew and surpassed the previous. Such was the way of life. Always moving forward and always evolving.

"I'm ending this now," Ruby growled, landing a few meters behind Summer. The red aura amplified as her energy skyrocketed. " **Kaioken! Times five!** "

The ground beneath her exploded. In a flash, she was in front of Summer. Ruby delivered a spin-kick to her face, sending her barreling backwards. However, Ruby wasn't even close to being done. Closing the distance once again with inconceivable speeds, she grabbed her mother's arms and pinned them to the closest rock using her superior strength. The two struggled for dominance, Ruby grunting and expanding her strength to keep her mother locked in place, while Summer desperately tried to escape. The young Rose stared into the void of the older Rose's eyes. A small smirk crossed Ruby's face.

"I know you're still in there, fighting. I can sense your energy, Mom," Ruby whispered. Suddenly Ruby's silver eyes started glowing fiercely. "I'm really sorry about this, but this is going to hurt a lot. I hope you can forgive me," she finished as she reared her head back. Before the Grimm controlling Summer could do anything, Ruby slammed her forehead against Summer's, her silver eyes activating and bathing the entire area in a white light.

The Grimm attached to Summer was disintegrated, and a weak scream elicited from the older woman's throat. The corruption purged as Ruby drained every ounce of dark power from her body. The influence that Salem had spent years pushing into Summer's poor form, was instantly rejected and annihilated.

Moments passed as Qrow and Raven blinked away the blinding light. When the light had died down, they saw Ruby slowly releasing Summer's form. A surge of relief flooded their bodies when they caught sight of Summer's physical appearance. It had been returned to normal! The woman was unconscious and her energy was barely readable, seeing as she had lost so much of it, but at least the Grimm influence was nowhere to be found. Ruby caught her body before she hit the ground and gently carried her over towards where Qrow and Raven were. Floating over there with her energy, she touched down next to the Branwen siblings and gently handed Summer to her aunt and uncle.

"I think she's going to be okay. She just needs her rest now," Ruby said sadly. All she could do was stare at her mother's unconscious form while Qrow rested the woman's head on his lap. Raven began siphoning off a little bit of her own energy to ensure Summer was kept alive. Despite being in no danger currently, Raven wasn't going to risk her best friend's life. She was going to do everything she could to ensure Summer was kept healthy. She had been through enough, and after everything that had happened, Summer deserved to wake up in the nicest bed and be waited on hand and foot for a very long time. "I still can't believe that this is how I reunite with her. I was expecting… something much happier," the girl remarked solemnly.

"How did you know she was alive?" Qrow questioned, his eyes wide with disbelief. He was convinced he was in a dream. Ruby was alive and Summer was saved! Everything he ever could have asked to be repaired had fixed itself in a matter of minutes. It was astounding!

"When I died, I arrived at this strange place called 'Otherworld'. There was a giant red ogre in a suit that judges souls and he keeps records of everyone who has ever passed through there. When I came through, I asked if Mom had come through. Apparently, she hadn't, so I knew she was still alive…" Ruby's amazed expression once again morphed into one of sadness as the rise and fall of her mother's chest continued without difficulty. "I never guessed this was why she was still alive… brainwashed by some Grimm witch. To think that all these years, she was being forced to work for that monster makes me sick!" a few tears fell out of the young girl's eyes.

"You saved her," Raven's hand landed on Ruby's back, giving the girl reassurance. "What you did just now, has to be one of the most incredible things I've ever seen. Summer would be proud of you, Ruby. I have no doubt about it. She's safe now, and right now, that's all that matters," the tribe leader finished. Ruby looked over to her aunt, someone who she had never met in her life. Ruby wiped a tear from her eye and allowed a weak smile to cross her face.

"You must be Raven. Yang's mom, right?"

"Yes… I am."

"Why did you leave?"

Raven's breath caught in her throat as Qrow simply turned his head and looked at her. The woman gave a hefty sigh.

"It's a long story Ruby, but know that it was a mistake I'll never make again. Yang and I… we've already settled things, and I've promised to make it up to her… somehow. I'm sure once everything is taken care of, I can tell you the full story," Raven retorted with a smile of her own. Ruby chuckled slightly.

"I'll hold you to that."

As the three stood up, Qrow carrying the unconscious woman, a monster watched with glee from a distance.

His patience was about to be rewarded.

All he had to do now was wait for the right moment to strike…

He could practically taste _perfection_.

=/=

* * *

=/=

"It's over, Salem."

Gohan's voice was absolute as he touched down a few feet away from her with Blake at his side. The White Witch looked around, hastily analyzing her situation. It wasn't looking nearly as promising as she had previously envisioned. It wasn't supposed to be like this! Her shield was gone, the hand and arm that the Relic of Creation once sat upon had been turned to dust. Half of her body had been burnt grotesquely, blood leaking from almost every orifice. Her body crawled with Hell, the signs of her defeat closing in on her like the jaws of a rabid animal.

Glimmering on the ground a few feet in front of her, was the Relic of Creation. Ozpin's power hadn't been enough to destroy it, but it had disintegrated the flesh around it. Before she had the chance to recover it, Blake had walked over and picked it up. She glanced over it, as if to study it, before slipping it on her finger and turning to Gohan, a saddened look on her face.

"We're too late. He's gone."

"Yeah," Gohan replied, doing his best to suppress his building anger. Ozpin had sacrificed his life to cripple Salem's power, giving them an opening and a chance to attack. With her shield gone, there was nothing stopping Gohan from erasing her on the spot. Ozpin had told him of her evils that transcended time. She had been hunting humanity to extinction for as long as she lived. From his perspective, she was just another tyrant, like Freeza. "His sacrifice won't be in vain. He's given us a chance to end things here."

"It's not over until all of you have been killed by me! I will not-!" her rant was cut short as her eyes narrowed in on three figures walking into the clearing, one carrying what seemed to be an unconscious Summer Rose. Her eyes widened in horror, as she found that the Grimm presence inside of the woman had been purged! It was impossible!

Only those with silver eyes were capable of exterminating her children, and the last known silver eyed warrior had been killed by Cell at the fall of Beacon! However, as it happened, her assumption was completely false. The fallen huntress had returned from the grave with more power than ever before!

"It's not possible…" Salem murmured, her horrific crimson eyes widening at the newcomers. Everyone present turned to follow Salem's gaze, only to be faced with a sheer impossibility. Walking alongside Qrow and Raven, was none other than Ruby Rose, looking better than she ever had. Yang almost lost feeling in her legs at the sight of her previously deceased sister. The sight of her bringing emotions she had long since locked away, to the surface. Immediately, tears began streaming down her face.

"R-Ruby!" Yang practically screamed. The small girl caught sight of the blonde and mirrored her expressions. The two sisters met in a flash, embracing each other and holding one another so tightly they would have popped if they were balloons. Ruby's face was buried in Yang's golden blonde hair, while the older girl was using Ruby's signature red cape to dry her tears. From a distance, Weiss and Blake looked at the display with disbelief clear in their eyes. How could it have been even remotely possible that Ruby had returned to life!?

Blake had seen the girl die with her own eyes! Wait! It was the Dragon Balls! King Kai must have already started! That meant that…!

Blake's thoughts were cut off as Ruby's sweet voice reached her ears.

"I missed you too, Big Sis!" Ruby wheezed into Yang's ear. Despite being trained by Goku and Piccolo, the girl still found it difficult to breathe when being crushed by her older sister's infamous bear hugs. She had missed the feeling though, and nothing made her happier to see her again. Weiss and Blake immediately ran over and joined their two teammates in the hug. Ruby swooned over all the attention she was receiving, and couldn't be happier that _finally_ , team RWBY had been reunited, and this time…

They were stronger than ever.

Gohan was absolutely stunned at the reveal. His mind was whirling, going at a million miles an hour. He had seen Cell kill Ruby. She had died right before his eyes, her body fading and heading to Otherworld. How was it possible she was revived? The only plausible explanation was that the Dragon Balls had been used to revive her, but the only working set was on Namek… so how…?

" **No!** " Salem roared, rage coursing through her every vein. Her eyes were locked with the unconscious form of Summer, the very same woman she had spent a decade, shaping into a weapon. Now all the changes she had made had been reverted in a single day. The cursed silver-eyed warriors! How was she supposed to know that one would come back from the dead and destroy all the progress she had made!? The sheer concept of it was absurd! "This cannot be happening!" Salem turned her gaze to Ruby and the rest of team RWBY.

" **YOU!** " she roared once more. She was about to attack them, but was interrupted when a torrent of flame slammed into her back, renewing her previous injury and making it even worse than it was before. All she could hear was the taunting laugh of her previous subordinate, Cinder Fall. She turned to her, only to be smacked to the side by a red and golden blur. Pyrrha Nikos knocked Salem off balance, and Cinder was there to deliver the finishing blow. A devastating uppercut sent Salem spiraling backwards across the clearing. Slowly the Grimm Queen pushed herself to her feet, glaring at the army of warriors before her.

"Like I said," Gohan stated, stepping forward. "This battle is over. You are defeated, Salem. Do not embarrass yourself even further. Accept your defeat," he finished. Rage overcame her mind. If she was to be defeated here and die, then she would be taking everyone with her! Ozpin wasn't about to get the last laugh on her without a final stand. Salem wasn't the kind of person to roll over and take her defeat lying down. She would kill as many as she could, so that the rest would suffer! She would be a reminder of their suffering.

"I'm not about to lose here! If I'm going to die here, I'll drag you all to Hell with me!"

Drawing all the magical power she could from the sword, she thrust it forward, firing off a magical energy blast big enough to swallow everyone in the entire area. She wasn't worried about collateral damage. She had no doubt that upon impact, the blast would detonate and kill everyone in the area, including her.

Gohan reacted before anyone could comprehend what was happening. He dived headfirst into the oncoming blast and quickly transformed into his Super Saiyan state. The blast was hastily formed and lacked stability, but it was still unbelievably deadly. It would surely kill any of his friends if it detonated anywhere near them. He wasn't even sure if he'd survive its raw power, but he had to try deflecting it.

The young Saiyan let out a roar that echoed across the continent as a massive barrier of energy exploded out from his form and encompassed the land around them. It wavered chaotically as the pure white blast collided into it. The others immediately lost their footing as the blast's gale force winds penetrated through the energy shielding them all from certain death. The only thing able to be heard over the maelstrom was Gohan's hoarse cries as he shoved all of his energy upward to direct the blast into the sky. After a moment's hesitation, the bright blast rocketed away from the barrier and soared towards Remnant's fractured moon.

The entire wasteland shook, as if the planet itself were about to come apart. The energy reached critical mass and quickly erupted over the horizon, radiating blinding light across the entire hemisphere. The group sustained no injuries from the initial blast but were thrown off their feet as they were sent careening across the barren wastes by the concussive force.

They all slammed into the earth and received minor cuts and bruises from their impacts. When the light died down, Gohan touched down a few paces in front of Salem. He sustained minor injuries where the force of the attack had managed to tear into his skin, but he was relatively unharmed. However, his clothing was ravaged and his skin was exposed in multiple places Her eyes were wide with shock as she saw everyone getting up.

The faunus was the first one of the group to right herself and she immediately set her sights on the relic that now hung limply in Salem's grasp.

"Rest assured, you won't be doing that again," Blake seethed as she reached her arm out towards the mystical blade. A pale white shimmer emitted from her outstretched palm and a very light breeze swept around her body, her white coat and raven hair gently swaying around her.

A short glance down and she saw that the sword in her hand was being disintegrated. She watched as the specks of dust floated away in the breeze, the last offensive weapon she had against these people being rendered useless. The group watched in stunned silence as the weapon that almost killed them evaporated into nothing. Salem had failed, and now she was going to die! Ozpin had won, and it was all because she had been all too eager to lord her victory over them. Her hubris had led her to her downfall. Such an amateur mistake, and nothing made her more furious.

"You've hurt too many people," Gohan declared as he raised his hand, preparing to end Salem's existence. "I'm not about to let you walk away, Salem."

All she could do was stare at the incredible energy circling in the half-Saiyan's hand. A mixture of wonder and fascination in how things might have been different if she had known how to use such a power. As his power grew, she found herself losing what will she had left to live.

The group descended into silence as the only sounds heard were the distant bubbling of magma and the harsh breeze filling the wastelands.

 _Clap_.

An all to familiar power made itself known.

 _Clap_.

Everyone's heads turned almost in unison to the source of the power.

 _ **Clap**_.

"Bravo…" a deep voice echoed from atop a nearby stack of rocks. Standing there, looking down upon all of them, was the monster himself. Cell had finally made his presence known, and the only person who wasn't surprised to see him was the half-Saiyan. With his arm resting on his knee, he peered over the small mound of rocks he stood atop of. A slick smile graced his face as he lifted his tail, electing gasps from the group below him. A menacing laugh escaped his lips as he watched despair creep into their eyes.

"Summer!" Qrow yelled out in desperation, a part of him hoping she would wake herself up. Summer Rose's unconscious form had been snatched up and curled up tightly in Cell's tail. In the explosion that Salem had created, he had lost her. It became clear as day that Cell had managed to take that opportunity to grab her before he could find her again.

"Mom!" Ruby screamed, immediately powering up into Kaioken. "You leave her alone!"

"It wouldn't be satisfying enough to attain my perfection without a captive audience," Cell chuckled menacingly. "This woman here is the key to my evolution. The sheer energy and magical power she possesses is more than enough to push me to perfection. I hope you all enjoy the show…"

Gohan growled, and without wasting any time, he powered up to his max, as a Super Saiyan. He exploded towards Cell with the intent to kill, all while the Bio-Android waited with a smug smile on his face. He wasn't even surprised that Gohan spared no words and just decided to attack him on sight. The boy had failed to kill him before, and now that he was borderlining his perfect evolution, the half-Saiyan wasn't about to allow him to simply achieve it without a fight.

Cell raised two hands to his forehead, his smirk widening. Before Gohan could even react to what Cell was about to do, it happened.

" **Solar Flare!** "

The burning white light flooded the area, blinding all the participants. Gohan lost all his momentum and halted his body in the air, immediately putting up a guard in case Cell decided to attack him. Everyone else shielded their eyes from the bright technique and attempted to wait it out.

Cell, on the other hand, laughed to himself. His tail snaked around Summer's unconscious form and opened into its hellish maw. He swallowed her whole without any resistance, and his maniacal laughter filled the entire area with dread. His body was overcome with power and the evolution process had begun.

Electrical energy traced his body as it began to contort into something new once more. A green bubble of power enveloped the area and flattened the terrain around them, forcing the fighters into the air as they lost their footing and more volatile liquid spewed forth from the ground.

Cell's voice reverberated through their minds, his maniacal laughter, and screams from his metamorphosis fueling their despair. The entire planet shook as his energy cascaded the atmosphere in a brilliant electrical glow. Even the creature's voice was morphing drastically from what it once was.

The chaotic shaking began to settle as the android's form ceased to glow.

When the light died down, the group slowly peeled their eyes open and blinked away the stinging pain. The fear coursing through all of them was palpable. The monster was victorious and Summer's energy was completely erased from this world. Cell opened his eyes slowly and began to examine his new form in muted glee while the others stared on in silent horror.

Cell looked more humanoid than he ever had before.

His face was ghostly pale, and a golden lining framed his face. To Gohan, he looked more like Freeza than he ever had before. His bright magenta eyes were not focused on anything in particular as the Bio-Android admired his new form. His new form was a lot more pristine and slick than his previous one, and his hulking frame was toned down to a slimmer and fit physique. He lifted his hands to get a better look at them. He flexed them, getting a better feel for his new body.

This truly was his _perfect_ evolution.

"N-No way…" Pyrrha murmured as her eyes examined Cell's new form. It wasn't the stunning new look she was terrified about. It was the immeasurable power she was now sensing from the monster. She didn't even know who to compare it to! No one felt this strong, and she was pretty sure Cell wasn't even at full power! Tearing her eyes away, she carefully glanced around, looking to each one of her friends. They all had their eyes glued to Cell, fear ravaging their bodies.

This power…

It was unlike anything she had ever sensed before.

She had thought his first and second form were bad… this was beyond comprehension. She couldn't describe just how terrifying he was now. He could kill them all within a few seconds! There was absolutely no chance they would survive in a fight against him now!

Cell stretched his body, showcasing every inch of it to his audience. His perfect form was finally realized and he had waited so long to get it. Every moment he spent basking in this new feeling felt euphoric, and he could practically taste the fear in the air. Nothing could stop him now. He was the ultimate warrior. He had no equal. Not Goku… and certainly not Gohan. He was invincible. There was nothing that could harm him now.

He was Cell, the biological creation, designed by Dr. Gero for the sole purpose of being the greatest fighter to ever exist… and now that purpose had become reality.

A smile graced his face. He turned his head to face the group.

Then vanished.

"What?!" Gohan hissed under his breath. He hadn't even seen him move! It was like Cell had…!

Gohan turned, along with everyone else to see Cell standing directly behind Salem who had miraculously managed to find an island to scramble onto. With his hand raised and without even a word, she was enveloped in a golden blast. She hadn't even had time to scream. It had been so quick and sudden. He had moved, and his intent to kill had been made obvious the moment he had appeared behind Salem. When the light and dust cleared, the Grimm Queen was gone, vanquished from this plane of existence. The look of horror on everyone's faces became apparent when Cell began to laugh.

"After all the trouble you caused me, you deserve a death no less fitting than your existence. An insect who doesn't know when they're outclassed," the bio-android mused. Turning to Gohan and the rest of his friends, Cell flexed his unrivaled power, taking satisfaction when looks of fear spread across their faces. The look of hopelessness brought him joy like none other. He had been crawling around this disgusting planet like a bug, feeding on whatever he could find just to survive. Now the tables had turned. He had reached his perfect evolution.

And Remnant's populace would suffer.

Raven and Qrow were the first to recover from the shock. Both of them shot forward towards Cell in unison, raising their weapons as well as their power. Summer had been precious to both of them and they had only just managed to get her back! Anger coursed through their bodies, thirsting for vengeance, however, it was short lived. Attacking from either side, the Branwen siblings committed with all of their power. Cell merely smirked, and without taking his eyes off Gohan, he summoned a small energy bubble around his body, allowing it to burst when his two attackers got close.

Raven and Qrow hadn't even seen it happen. They were thrown back so fast that when they collided with the mounds of dirt and dark crystal, the impact sent debris flying in all directions. With their aura already being down, the two of them sustained immense damage. In a single attack, Cell had managed to take out two of their strongest fighters without even _moving_. Before Gohan could speak up, Cell raised a hand and fired a blast towards Qrow. The Half-Saiyan's instincts took over, flashing to Qrow's aid shielding the man from the blast with his own body.

Gohan tried to put up a barrier but proved to be too slow. The blast impacted him viciously, but the half-Saiyan held his ground. It had been too strong to deflect, and what really filled him with dread was that Cell had conjured such a blast without so much as a shred of difficulty.

When the dust cleared, Gohan was on his knees, half of his top gi had been shredded, and the rest hung loosely off his body. Sporting a bloodied lip and some serious cuts and burned, the son of Goku pushed himself back to his feet with minor difficulty. He faced Cell again with a look of animosity and determination.

"Always fighting for those who can't defend themselves, aren't you Gohan?" Cell chuckled as Gohan powered up, his gaze filled with complete loathing. Once again, he had allowed Cell to get stronger. Now… he wasn't sure he could win against this monster anymore. The amount of power Cell had gained was incomparable to his own. He had to try regardless, or this dark, gloomy, barren wasteland would be all of their graves. With his golden aura surrounding his body, he tensed for action, refusing to answer. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Shut up!"

Yang Xiao Long landed next to Gohan, slipping into her semblance evolved form. She pushed her power to its maximum, knowing if she held back, she would die. Unlike Gohan, Yang didn't quite care how powerful Cell had gotten. Regardless of his new form, she was burdened by her rage for what Cell had done to her and her family. Despite the fact that Ruby seemed to be alive and well again, nothing was going to erase those months of guilt and depression. Ruby had died and it was because of this monster here. He had been the one to end her life. Whatever miracle had occurred to bring her back, she could question later _if_ they were still alive.

"You don't get to talk!" she hissed. Cell's eyes raised in intrigue. He remembered this form quite clearly. The same form that she had used when he had killed the girl with the red-cape. His vision slowly turned to the rest of the crowd, seeing the girl he had most certainly killed. She tensed slightly when his gaze landed on her. He narrowed his dark magenta eyes. " _How is she alive? I know for a fact I killed her. Unless there is someone else capable of bringing back the dead, her presence here is impossible_."

"Ah yes…" his gaze circled back to Yang. "Yang… you've grown significantly stronger. You've surprised me! I never thought a human had the potential to reach the level _we_ are capable of fighting at, especially in such a short period of time," Cell chuckled, gesturing to both himself and Gohan. "I have the cells of all the strongest humans from Earth and you've surpassed them all several times over. I dare say you could give a Saiyan or a Namekian an interesting fight."

His gaze surveyed the area, landing on both Blake and Pyrrha, two girls he had fought in the past. He had planned to absorb them, but fortunately for him, he found an easier target. "You two as well. Humans in this world truly exceed the potential of the humans back on Earth. There is no comparison that would be fair to make. Really, in some ways landing on this planet did me a favor!" he exclaimed, his hysterical laughter echoing throughout the barren silence.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Pyrrha whispered to Blake. The redhead wasn't really expecting an answer from her cat-faunus friend, but she couldn't help but voice her concerns. Cell's power was beyond anything imaginable. Every encounter with Cell she had faced in the past paled in comparison to the monster's power now. There had always been a chance before, because Gohan was always ready to counter his power with his own, however, now the half-Saiyan's strength didn't even come close to matching Cell's.

"Survive," Blake replied plainly, her voice betraying her underlying fear. "Somehow."

"So… heroes of Remnant," Cell beckoned his power flexing causing the very atmosphere around the barren wasteland to become thick and cold. "Which one of you is the bravest? Which one of you will step up and face me now? I can see the fear in each one of you. If you do not stop me now, I will destroy this planet and everything you hold dear."

There was only one who could answer the challenge.

Gohan stepped forward, his body tense and ready for a fight. His face betrayed no emotion, only anger, and determination but deep down, he was afraid. He could sense Cell's overwhelming power but he couldn't falter now. So many times in the past he had faced unbeatable odds and come out alive by some miracle. This was no different. He was the only one that could carry on his father's legacy. Even now as he faced down the Devil himself, Gohan reminded himself of what his father did when he first confronted Freeza.

The man held no fear.

And neither would he.

Without a word, Gohan amplified his power, yellow electricity circled his body like a storm. His golden aura exploded around him as he pushed his power past its utmost limits. The area around him disintegrated and blew away like dust in the wind. His form glistened as he tapped into the unbridled power of the Mastered Super Saiyan. Everything was on the line now. If he failed here, everyone would die. Yang… Blake… Pyrrha. They would all perish. Despite the obstacles they had overcome to gain the power they had today, all of them combined couldn't match what Cell had attained now.

"Wonderful," Cell breathed as he unfolded his arms. The Bio-Android tightened his stance as he let his power swell to the surface. After a few moments, he deemed his power satisfactory and dismissed his aura. He smirked in Gohan's general direction, goading the boy into attacking. Gohan refused to fall for Cell's mind games and slipped into his own stance. Yang stood next to him and did the same. The son of Goku did not seem to approve of Yang's intention to help out considering the condition she was in.

"Let me fight him, Yang. Don't do this. You need to recover. If you push yourself too hard you will succumb to exhaustion."

"I'd rather die than let you fight that monster on your own. I don't care how badly Freeza hurt me, I _am_ going to fight and you won't stop me," the finality in her tone left no room for Gohan to argue. As much as he wanted Yang to stay out of this, he couldn't in his right mind counter her at this moment. Cell had murdered Ruby right in front of her. It wouldn't matter how much Gohan told her to stay back. He knew from experience how hot-headed Yang was and right now there was nothing stopping her from fighting Cell with him. "Besides, I can sense his power. I would be an idiot to let you fight him on your own. It's going to take all of us to take him down."

"Yang's right," Blake stated as she stood on the opposite side of Gohan. Pyrrha joined the lineup as well, taking her side next to Yang. She powered up, slipping into her Semblance Evolved, her light aqua blue aura coating her body like a second skin. "He's stronger than you now, Gohan. We have to fight him together, or we are all going to die."

"We won't hold you back," Pyrrha reaffirmed, determination coursing through her body. "Not like last time."

Gohan recalled the first time they had encountered Cell. The three of them had been woefully underprepared for such a fight. Now, however… just looking at them, they were well on their way to being the warriors of Remnant, just like he and his friends were for Earth before they died. It was almost as if the spirits of his friends lived on through them. Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Vegeta, Piccolo, and his father. Everyone but Goku had perished against the Android menace and yet, here he was, with a group of humans he had befriended on another planet, finishing the mess that Dr. Gero had created on Earth.

"One wrong move and Cell will kill us. Understand?" Gohan murmured to the three. They nodded in unison.

"We know," Pyrrha replied emotionlessly.

"No room for error. Just like any other fight to the death," Blake stated.

"This time, it's personal," Yang spat.

"Come then," Cell chuckled ominously. "Let me see the strength of Remnant's greatest!"

With a force that could rival an exploding star, the four warriors charged Cell with every ounce of power they could muster. Cell grinned, meeting them halfway. The two opposing forces collided with such power, the entire area was met with a deafening boom. The energy was so astronomical it had, for a split second, removed sound entirely from the area around them. Sound waves were blown away and the entire area was locked in a space of silence for a split second. Light itself was bent and twisted due to the overwhelming power being thrown at each other.

From afar, Ruby, Weiss, and Cinder watched with bated breaths as their friends risked their lives against the unstoppable killing machine that was Cell.

Ruby was the only one with eyes and perception fast enough to keep up with the speeds of the battle. Yang, Gohan, Blake, and Pyrrha had Cell completely surrounded, attacking him from all angles. They disappeared and reappeared all across the crimson sky, displacements left in their wake. With each brutal attack, sonic booms echoed through the sky, coupled with the occasional flash of light.

"I-I can't see them," Cinder gasped, attempting to follow the movements, only to see nothing but the aftermath of their attacks. Weiss was in the same boat. She could feel the weight of every attack her friends and teammates threw, but for the life of her, she couldn't see them. "We need to get out of here, we're right in the middle of their-!" Cinder didn't get to finish what she was saying as the pool of magma beneath them erupted up into a pillar of spiraling death. They narrowly avoided being consumed by the volatile substance as they flew away from the towering inferno.

"That was too close for comfort!" Weiss gasped.

"The fight is straining the planet!" Ruby reaffirmed. Cinder growled, looking around at all the damage that had been done to the barren wasteland. It was almost entirely flat now, save for a few mounds of rock that seemed to be spilling molten lava from the fresh openings. If she didn't know any better, all the fighting they had done previously had severely weakened this area of the planet. Any more abuse in this area and they might just…

"If this fighting continues, I don't think the planet will hold out much longer. If Cell fighting the others are causing natural disasters to occur here, I'd hate to think what is going on over in Atlas or Vacuo," Cinder said grimly. Ruby surveyed the area, only to gasp in horror as her eyes landed on Qrow and Raven. Each of them were unconscious and on the brink of death.

Their bodies hung loosely over large canvases where raging fire threatened to consume them should they fall. She wasted no time speeding down to Qrow and picking him up, throwing him over her shoulder in the process before taking off back into the air. Weiss had wordlessly followed Ruby's example, shooting down and picking up Raven before the tribe leader had fallen to her demise.

"We need to get these two someplace safe before we can even attempt to join this fight," Weiss stated. Cinder looked at Weiss like she had lost her mind.

"Join the fight!?" Cinder nearly screamed. "Are you crazy!? We'd be torn to pieces! I don't know if you noticed Princess, but your friends are several times stronger than us. As much as I hate to say it, we need to stay out of this one so _we_ don't get in their way!" the amber-eyed girl almost roared. Weiss scowled at Cinder, disliking her tone and attitude to help the efforts against Cell, however, Weiss knew deep down that the girl had a point. Weiss may as well be an ant compared to the mountain that Cell was.

After a few moments, Ruby just sighed.

"As much as I hate to agree with her, Weiss. She's right," Ruby stated, drawing the Princesses attention. "We aren't strong enough. I might be able to last a minute or so against Cell if I pushed my Kaioken to its limit but even still, I don't think I'd be able to do any damage with how powerful he is now. I might be able to outmaneuver him but that's all I could probably do."

Before anyone could retort, a scream ripped through the area, drawing the attention of the three floating girls. Pyrrha was sent rocketing to the ground by a vicious kick from Cell. Cinder's aura roared as she intercepted the redhead before she could hit the ground. Catching Pyrrha, Cinder hoisted the girl up and steadied her. Blood streamed down Pyrrha's face in rivulets, a testament to Cell's unrivaled power. She was covered from head to toe with burns and bruises. As Cinder let go, Pyrrha remained floating but even she could tell that the greek-themed warrior was completely at her limit.

"Nikos," Cinder's voice chided. Pyrrha slowly turned to Cinder, a look of exhaustion overcoming her. "You're at death's door, if you go back to fight, you'll die!"

"I have no choice."

Just like that, Pyrrha took off back to the fight and undoubtedly towards her death.

"Damnit!" Cinder screamed in frustration. Turning to Ruby and Weiss she gave the two a pointed look. "Get those two out of here now! If we are going to fight, we can't have any distractions!" she growled. Cinder screamed once more, powering up, hitting her maximum within a few seconds. She turned to the ongoing fight a smirk crossing her features. She could just _barely_ follow their movements now. Still, it was better than nothing. She'd rather put up a fight before she died.

Shooting off after Pyrrha, Cinder left Ruby and Weiss on their own.

"Ruby, you're the fastest in our team. Are you able to take Raven and Qrow somewhere safe?" Weiss questioned. Ruby nodded, gesturing to Weiss to hand over Raven. She did so wordlessly. There was no time to strike up a conversation. They needed to join the fight now or not at all. They could all sense Gohan's energy dropping just as quickly as Yang's and Blake's. Pyrrha's was already close to kaput and the fight had only been going on a few minutes. Another volcano erupted in the distance, shooting hot molten fire into the air.

This place would be burning hotter than Hell within a few more minutes.

"I'll be right back!" Ruby said as she lifted two fingers to her forehead. With Qrow on her back and Raven in her other hand, she narrowed her eyes in concentration. In a few moments, Weiss watched her best friend vanish from sight, her energy disappearing from the planet entirely. Weiss's eyes widened slightly, a semblance of panic erupting in her chest. What happened to Ruby's energy!? It just vanished from her senses altogether. To her utter astonishment, a few moments later, Ruby's energy sparked as she appeared right before her eyes, Qrow and Raven seemingly absent from her person.

"W-What!?" Weiss stuttered in astonishment. "How did you…?"

"Instant Transmission! Gohan's dad taught me it while I was dead. Kind of useful if you ask me," Ruby replied with a grin. Weiss was still completely dumbfounded but managed to find her voice.

"Where are Qrow and Raven?"

"On Earth. I left them with Gohan's teacher."

"You mean… Piccolo? I recall Gohan saying something about him in the past. I thought he was dead?"

"He was. So was I… look, it's a long story. I'll tell you later if we're still alive."

"I'll hold you to that," Weiss remarked icily, a small smirk on her face. Ruby replied with a small grin of her own. In unison, the teammates powered up and readied themselves for what would most likely be the fight of their lives. Ruby pushed her Kaioken all the way to the times ten multiplier while Weiss pulled on her energy, attempting to empower herself with the Maiden's powers. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, seeing as it almost killed her the last time she tried, but right now she had no other choice. It was one of the worst situations she could ever imagine herself in and there was no way out other than fighting.

"Let's go!" Ruby took off with Weiss in tow.

The two shot into the sky, heading towards Cell and the rest of their friends. The Ultimate Fighter came to a stop as he watched with mild amusement as Ruby and Weiss arrived to the fight. Everyone circled him in the air, making sure he had no way out. He let his amusement show as he eyed each warrior. A bolt of lightning crackled in the sky behind them, casting an ominous shadow across Cell's body. There wasn't a scratch on his perfect form, another testament to his power and durability.

"And two more join the fray…" Cell trailed off, laughing to himself. Turning his attention back to Gohan who was looking worse for wear. The almost seventeen-year-old half-Saiyan had taken the brunt of the abuse in the last few minutes. The top half of his Gi was entirely missing, blood and scratches painted his upper torso, looking like some kind of freaky horror show victim. The boy's breathing was labored, as were all of his comrades. Nothing they had thrown at the monster had done any kind of damage. Cell batted every attack away like it was nothing but an annoyance to him. The only attacks he took seriously were Gohan's and to some extent, Yang's. "Do you think numbers are going to stop me from killing you?"

His questions were met with nothing but silence.

"You are all deluding yourselves into thinking you even stand a chance against someone like me. I am _Perfection_. I am the ultimate fighter! Do you not understand!? I was created to have no equal. I have the cells of the universe's strongest. None of you, save Gohan are a part of my DNA. So what does that say about the rest of you?" Cell smirked. He watched the look of pride shatter across some of their faces. Yang's resolve remained as unbreakable as ever but it seemed Cinder, Blake, and Pyrrha didn't take his words that well.

"You talk too much," Yang hissed. Cell regarded her briefly, her words bouncing off his shield of confidence like they were made of rubber. He did nothing but laugh at her insult.

"If all of you cannot challenge my strength, I will destroy Remnant here and now. So come on, show me what you are capable of!" Cell roared with excitement. Ruby and Gohan roared, pushing their strength even further than before. Attacking from behind and the front the two launched into an attack. Cell effortlessly evaded and parried every single attack. His speed dwarfed any other feat Gohan had seen up until now. Even Ruby could not follow the monster's movements.

Grabbing Ruby, the monster pulled her forward and flung her into Gohan. The two collided, knocking each other out of the sky. Cell turned his attention immediately to the three girls charging their attacks. Weiss, Cinder, and Blake screamed as they let loose a barrage of energy attacks that Cell laughed at. He let each attack hit him, all of them doing absolutely nothing. Having had enough of the charade, he broke through their attacks and delivered his own.

A single punch, kick, and elbow drop was enough to send each girl barreling back towards the burning earth below them. He watched, grinning all the while as the girls hit the dirt with a thunderous crack. Cell was almost caught off guard by Pyrrha and Yang rushing him after seeing an opening. He was forced onto defense for all about half a second before he gathered his bearings. Batting away every attack sent his way, he knocked Yang away and grabbed Pyrrha by the face. Charging a blast, he let loose an energy blast and engulfed Pyrrha's form.

She screamed in pain but was quickly silenced with a kick as Cell let her fall harmlessly towards the earth below. She hit the ground unmoving but still alive. Cell smirked. He'd keep them all alive, if only for the pleasure of watching their despair as he destroyed the planet right before their very eyes, knowing they had failed every single innocent on the planet. Their failure would be carried through the afterlife and would haunt them for the rest of eternity.

" _One down,_ " Cell grinned as he turned to Yang's pained form as she floated in mid-air. " _Many more to go_."

Appearing directly in front of Yang, the monster elbowed her square in the nose, undoubtedly breaking it in the process. He delivered a gut-wrenching punch to her abdomen before grabbing her by her flaming hair and tossing her into the base of the nearest erupting volcano. Cell smirked as he fired a barrage of energy blasts towards where she had landed, the screams of pain brought nothing but satisfaction to his ears as he felt Yang's energy drop. She had hit her limit already. It was a shame. Maybe she would have put up a better fight had she not weathered Freeza's onslaught earlier.

When the dust cleared, Yang's broken and bloodied form lay motionless.

Another had fallen without s causing Cell to sweat.

Without so much as batting an eye, Cell reached behind him to grab the red-caped girl's fist that was moments away from impacting the back of his head. He brought her around to his face so he could get a better look at her. Ruby Rose was struggling within his grasp. He frowned, looking her up and down before opening his mouth to speak.

"I do recall killing you, little girl. How is it you have returned to life?" he questioned, intrigue to his tone. Ruby growled as she amplified her power, calling on her strength to pull her out of this situation. However, it seemed that not even a Kaioken times ten could break her out of Cell's iron grip.

"Wouldn't you like to know?!" she spat in response. Cell chuckled, once again lifting his hand to her torso. However, this time, Ruby didn't look as scared as she did before. No matter, she would die the same way she did last time. Charging an energy blast in his hand, he readied himself to fire. However, a flash of Ruby's silver eyes had the energy he was charging sucked from his very body. The feeling was surreal and invasive. Cell growled as Ruby siphoned the energy from his body.

"W-What are you doing!?" Cell demanded. Ruby grinned as her power exploded. Cell's eyes widened as he felt his power surging through her body. She ripped herself from his grasp as she screamed, her power thundering beyond her limits. With an explosion of power, her voice echoed throughout what remained of the Grimmlands.

" _ **KAIOKEN TIMES TWENTY!**_ " For a split second, her power had been nearing Gohan's! She shot forth, breaking through Cell's guard and nailing him right in the chest. Her boot was firmly planted in his chest, momentarily winding the android. He was sent spiraling through the air but steadied himself after a few seconds.

Ruby's entire body was smoking after the hit. Her eyes glistened as she steeled herself in the air. With the power she had stolen from Cell, combined with the unstable power of a Kaioken times twenty, she had recklessly put herself on death's door with such an attack.

Cell tasted something metallic in his mouth. He put a finger inside, only to draw it out to see a small drop of his blood on his finger. He growled flicking the substance away. He had taken a bit of damage. So what? It was miles away from even having to worry about death. However, yet again, he had been surprised by this girl's sudden explosion of strength.

"H-How did you like that!?" Ruby gasped, trying her hardest to control her breathing. Her body, while smoking, felt like it was on fire. Piccolo, Goku, and King Kai had warned her of the dangers of Kaioken and pushing herself beyond what her body was capable of withstanding. However, this fight warranted the move. Cell was about to kill her again, so she had to break her limits to get out. She was honestly surprised she hadn't vaporized herself trying what she had just done.

"Impressive," Cell mused, the arrogant smirk he had prior wiped from his face entirely. "However, that reckless move has consumed almost all your power. Truly, I grow tired of underestimating you humans," he raised a hand and fired a regular energy blast that would certainly kill the girl in her current state. However, just as he fired, he was tackled by a golden blur. Looking down, he growled as he saw Gohan with his arms wrapped around his torso. Before Cell could counterattack, Gohan let go and nailed the android in the face. As he did so, the Saiyan had already cupped his hands, a majestic energy casting a blue light over all of the Grimmlands.

"Kamehame HA!"

Cell was faced with the biggest Kamehameha wave Gohan had ever managed to conjure. It was big enough to consume the sky itself and took up Cell's entire vision. Even being so high up in the air, it still affected the ground below them, blowing layers of dirt and rock outward in a large radius. However, the android was not at all intimidated. Raising his hands he caught the blast without difficulty. After a few moments of holding it in place, the android threw his hands to the sky, redirecting the blast away from him. Gohan watched in disbelief as one of his strongest attacks was stopped without so much as making the android sweat.

"Such impressive strength, Gohan. Although, you're going to have to do better than that if you want to kill me," the android taunted. Gohan roared, taking off and meeting Cell once again in a fierce battle, one that by now, was clear he was going to lose. However, his willpower and pride would not let him give up until he drew his last breath. He would fight until the bitter end, just like he had against the Android menace that plagued his world for so long.

Meanwhile, having dodged the stray energy blast that Cell had fired at her, Ruby slowly touched down on the earth below, having lost all the energy she had. She fell to her knees breathing heavily. Before long, Weiss was at her side, while Blake had retreated to Yang's. Ruby looked around to assess the damage they had all taken. Pyrrha was barely able to keep herself upright and was now watching the fight from afar, her energy totally sapped, while Cinder stood at her side, ready to deflect any stray attacks that came their way.

Blake had hoisted Yang's arm over her shoulder as the two girls supported each other and Weiss was at her side. Gohan was the only one left with any remaining strength that could have a chance against Cell, and judging by how fast his energy was dropping, Cell was about to finish with him any moment. They were all going to die. They had lost.

It frustrated all of them!

They had come so far only to be met with an impossible obstacle! It wasn't fair!

There was… absolutely nothing they could do.

Ruby had almost killed herself, again, breaking her limits to fight Cell and all she had managed to do was wind the android.

A deafening crack sounded throughout the sky and Gohan's body fell from it, crashing into the land below. His golden blonde hair now reverting to an onyx black. His body reduced in size by a small margin and his entire form lost its pristine glow. As Gohan fell, so did the hopes of everyone present. There were no tears… only anger and regret. Regret that they could not meet the challenge that Cell presented. Anger, that because of their weakness, everyone and everything they loved would be turned to ash before their very eyes.

"What a pity."

Cell dragged out every word, disappointment lacing his voice. He landed in front of Gohan's broken form. The boy was defenseless and powerless. Cell didn't look damaged at all. The hybrid Saiyan was barely conscious, only hanging onto a thread as he watched Cell glare down at him. In mere moments, everything would come to an end and he would be sent to the afterlife to reunite with his friends and father. He had failed. The man he had looked up to his entire life… and Gohan had failed to fill those shoes.

He couldn't protect them.

"I don't know what I was expecting from you, Gohan. Perhaps it was something more than what I got. I expected you to be at least able to rival my power. This entire fight was pointless. You have proved nothing to me," Cell stated, raising his hand and charging an energy blast that was clearly meant to end the half-Saiyan's existence. Gohan's eyes stared into the light coming from Cell's hand. The entire area was bathed in a bright magenta light. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as death prepared to claim him.

"Goodbye… Gohan."

Time seemed to slow down for the son of Goku. He felt his strength leave him as he stared into the attack summoned to kill him. If he was to die, he would do so, staring the monster in the eyes.

Cell fired, a grin plastered across his features.

Yang screamed, agony and terror filling her heart as she watched the one boy she had come to love, die before her very eyes.

Everyone watched in horror.

But something strange happened.

Gohan's incredibly low energy remained intact.

Another energy stood in front of him, one that made Ruby almost jump for joy.

"He… he made it," was all Ruby could utter.

As the dust cleared, a man in an orange Gi stood tall, his hand outstretched to block the attack that Cell had fired.

He stood about a head taller than Gohan and had a mystical halo atop of his head. His onyx spikes resembled that of the man's he had saved, but were far more spread out atop his head.

"Phew," the man stated in relief. "Made it just in time."

"Impossible…" Cell stated. Everyone watched as Cell took a few steps back, while the man took a few steps forward.

"Talk about leaving it to the last minute. I'm glad I stopped by to get _these_ on my way here though," he said cheerfully as he took the brown pouch from his belt and turned to look at Ruby. "Hey! Ruby! Can you share these around? You're going to need them!" he called out, tossing the bag to the fifteen-year-old girl. She caught them, with a slight stumble. Opening the pouch revealed more than nine green beans. Recognizing what they were from the stories she was told in Otherworld, she quickly popped one in her mouth and felt her strength return to her in full.

"Woah…" Ruby said as she gazed down at her hands. She could feel her energy, as fresh as it was when she had arrived here. "Thanks!" she called out and gave the man a thumbs up. He returned the gesture with a friendly grin before turning back to Cell. His grin turned to that of a slight scowl. Cell looked at the man with murderous intent.

"Son _Goku_ ," Cell spat.

With a controlled grunt, Goku flashed into a fully mastered Super Saiyan kicking up debris around him. After a few seconds, he let his power equalize, a look of excitement, mixed with a glare of disgust spread across his features as he stared down Dr. Gero's ultimate creation.

"Cell," Goku retorted with a tone of distaste. "You're going to pay for what you've done!"

Gohan couldn't believe his eyes. His voice failed him. Impossibility was occurring before his very eyes.

Son Goku.

His father.

Had returned.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Not gonna lie. That right there has to be one of the biggest cliffhangers in this story so far. This has been a long time coming and quite frankly, I'm excited to write it. This story, while moving into its final arc, still has a bit to cover, so don't worry. Despite white I've said, this ride isn't going to be over in the next 3-4 chapters. It's more like… 6-7 chapters? At least, that's my rough estimate.**

 **So Ruby's back and kicking ass as I promised. She has finally reunited with team RWBY and Salem is finally dead! Realistically I probably should have nixed her ages ago, but too late to go back on that now.**

 **And oh no! Summer has been gobbled up! Someone called it out back in chapter four, hoping Cell hadn't absorbed Summer. Well, you were both right and wrong! She was always going to be absorbed, just not at that specific time.  
**

 **Cell has attained his perfect form and it proves WAY too much for anyone to handle. Even Gohan. My reasoning here is that since Cell has been going around absorbing Huntsmen and other exceptionally strong Remnant people, his overall power would be slightly larger than it was in canon.**

 **I think that's all I need to cover. Also, some of my friends on Discord have been complaining to me ever since I made the server private. So, they've asked me to ask you guys whether or not I should open it back up again. It was originally closed off due to rule breaking and just overall toxic people joining. If it were to come back we respectfully ask for you all to remain civil and follow the rules. Message myself or Xman if you are interested in joining.**

 **We offer exclusive sneak peeks to upcoming posts as well as foster our own DB/RWBY community, whether it be drawn art, or enthusiastic fanfiction writers themselves.**

 **That's all folks, see you next time.**


	23. Heaven Sent Saiyan

**A/N:**

 **I had a lot of fun with this chapter, which I intentionally made short. I felt like this deserved its own chapter, focusing primarily on the fight and a few other things. I know a lot of you expected Goku to show up at some point, while others didn't. So without saying too much, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I hope I did Goku's character justice.**

 **On a side note, please don't castrate me for not updating Pride of Four. I am working on that story, albeit, slowly. This story still takes priority until it is finished. Then PoF can come first. That being said, Pride of Four should be updated sometime in the next week or so, so look forward to that.**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Three: Heaven Sent Saiyan_

Like an angelic savior, Son Goku stood in the middle of the battleground, light radiating from his body as he stared down Remnant's nightmare.

Cell watched with mild annoyance as the red-hooded nuisance he had come to know as Ruby Rose handed out strange healing items to her friends. One by one, he could feel their strength return in spades until finally, she got to Gohan. The boy chewed and swallowed the bean the moment it entered his mouth. A growl emanated from Cell's throat as the Saiyan hybrid returned to his feet, his injuries having somehow vanished. Gohan's power had quite literally quadrupled after healing from those injuries.

However, while Cell was glaring at them, Gohan's attention was no longer on the android. Instead it was on his father, who had somehow returned from the land of the dead to once again save him from the clutches of the afterlife.

"Dad…" Gohan's disbelief was evident, as the words came out akin to a soft whisper. Goku gave no visual or verbal response but Cell saw the man smirk. After a few moments of silence, Goku opened his mouth to respond.

"Gohan! You just sit back and watch. Right now, Cell is mine," Goku stated, a familiar arrogant confidence lacing every word. Gohan didn't nod, only opting to continue to stare at the back of the man. How long had it been since he last saw his father? His last memories of the man were the times of agonizing pain, the moments before he passed on to the afterlife. It had been traumatic. He had nightmares about it for months.

Now here he was again, as if nothing had changed. His determined posture, like a solid steel wall. He was stronger… _far_ stronger than he had ever been before. Gohan could feel it, the depths of his father's power had grown to new heights. It was like Gohan was staring at the back of an entirely new man. His time in Otherworld must have changed him. The amount of training with King Kai was evident, and he had yet to even show his true power. It reminded him of when he first saw his father confront Freeza on Namek.

"I've watched you torment this world, Cell," Goku growled with a strained voice as if he were holding back a tsunami of rage. "Every innocent life you have taken! I can hear them even now, crying out for justice! Make no mistake, Cell, you are not long for life. I won't allow it, and neither will my son!"

"Those are some truly frightening words, Goku," Cell mused, a small smile gracing his features. "I'm still surprised as to how exactly you're here. However, the details are not my concern. What matters, is that you are here now. I haven't had this form long," Cell gestured to his perfect form, still losing himself in admiration of his perfection. "I had wished to test it against the likes of your son; however, he proved to be less than sufficient. A truly disappointing challenge. Now that you have shown yourself, I hope you will be able to fill that role."

Programmed deep within him, was a desire to best and kill Son Goku. The cells of Vegeta and Freeza burned within him, urging the demolition of this low-class monkey who had appeared on the battlefield. That, coupled with Dr. Gero's deep hatred for the full-grown Saiyan warrior, caused Cell to truly hate the man, his desire to fight Goku was instinctual. Nothing would make him more whole than proving his power against the man he was ultimately designed to be superior to.

"Are you going to keep talking? Because I don't have all day. Do you want to fight or what?" Goku goaded, slipping into the Turtle Hermit stance.

"If you're in such a hurry to die, then by all means, you are welcome to-" his response was cut off by Goku embedding his fist directly into Cell's stomach. The overwhelming speed the Saiyan had exhibited was enough to completely slip past the android's guard. Cell gasped in pain as he looked down, only to see Goku grinning. The Bio-Android seethed internally. He hadn't predicted that Goku was at all close to his level of power. The data he had been born with did not seem to align with the Saiyan's skills at all. By this very occurrence, Cell had to consider the current data he had on the Saiyan useless.

"Couldn't help but notice you left yourself open there," the Super Saiyan chuckled mockingly. "Aren't you supposed to be the ultimate fighter? With all the cells of my friends inside of you, surely you would have enough experience and skill not to make such a rookie mistake."

Cell immediately retaliated by throwing a quick punch, but Goku was miles ahead of him. Effortlessly weaving around Cell's fist, Goku spun and kicked the android in the face.

Clearly, Goku had been training while he was dead.

"What's wrong?" Goku taunted as Cell stumbled back, winded by the attack. Goku's grin widened as he raised his hand and waved the android on, mockingly gesturing for Cell to come to him. "We've barely started! Don't go quitting on me now! If you can't take a punch like that, then this fight isn't going to last very long."

"Arrogant wretch," Cell spat hatefully. Straightening up, he let his power explode forth, enough to send chills down everyone's spines, aside from the warrior that stood before him. Golden electricity, similar to Gohan's own mastered Super Saiyan form now circled around Cell. Goku could only smile as the challenge excited him even more. Cell wasn't even close to using his full power. The android had only just achieved his Perfect form. He had yet to discover the depths of his power and Goku wanted to draw that out. It was all part of the plan he had come up with. "How about this!?"

"Now that's more like it!" Goku called out, charging Cell as he did so. Cell grinned madly as he met Goku's charge head-on. The two collided with a force that caused molten lava to surge from the earth, rocketing far into the sky all over the Grimmlands. In a flash of light, the two were trading blows faster than the eye could see. The only person able to follow their movements was Gohan. Even Yang couldn't see the speeds at which Goku and Cell were fighting at.

"He… he was just toying with us the whole time," Pyrrha said, her tone portraying utter disbelief. "I knew he was powerful… but this… this is _unfair_ ," her voice cracked. She sounded like she wanted to cry. The hopelessness of their previous assault on Cell not lost on any of them. It hurt their pride; even Gohan was angry to an extent that Cell had just been playing with him. However, he wasn't about to waste this opportunity that Goku was providing.

"We didn't even phase him?" Weiss voiced uncertainty in her tone. She felt defeated, as did everyone else, despite being healed back to full. What if this man failed to beat Cell? What then? They weren't any match for this monster. This wasn't something skill or technique could beat! Not with their power. The only one who seemed to have grown stronger after being healed was Gohan, and she suspected that to be the case, considering the fact that he was only half-human. "How are we supposed to beat him?"

"Right now, we don't," Blake responded. The cat faunus was annoyed. Despite the power she had gained from the Guardian and the knowledge she now possessed, none of it seemed to provide any kind of strategy to beat Cell. His strength dwarfed theirs, as if it hadn't already before. She idly glanced at the ring on her hand, the relic she had picked up from Salem. She wasn't quite sure how it worked just yet, and still had a lot of memories to sort through. She wasn't even sure how she managed to destroy the Relic of Destruction. It had just been instinctual. If only she just had the time…

"So we sit back and watch," Yang muttered, crossing her arms. "Not really my style, but it's not like we have much choice," Yang turned to face Gohan. "Hey, Gohan? What do we do? Should we just let your… dad fight him alone?" she questioned. Gohan remained completely silent, his eyes following the battle intensely. The blonde's eyebrows rose at the fact that he was completely ignoring her, but maybe it was because he couldn't hear her. Did he tune everything out to just focus on the fight?

His face was stuck in a seemingly permanent scowl, following every movement of Cell.

"He's studying him," Ruby floated over towards her sister. Yang didn't register the explanation, but understood what Ruby was talking about. This was life and death. "Goku did it when I was training with Piccolo sometimes. It took a bit of yelling to snap him out of it. I think he explained it was like… hm," Ruby scratched her head trying to remember how the older Saiyan had explained it to her. "Goku said that he was a Saiyan, and so is Gohan. Apparently, they can study and react to fighting styles during the midst of battle. It was something about adaptation? I don't know; its kind of confusing."

"What are you talking about?" Cinder cut in. "Anyone can do that."

"Yeah but apparently, Saiyans do it better than anyone else."

"Gohan never mentioned he could do something like that," Yang voiced, shifting her gaze back to her boyfriend.

"What the hell is a Saiyan?" Cinder questioned in aggravation. "Start talking sense!"

"They're a warrior race! They're like, aliens or something! Goku told me they were born to fight. It's like second nature to them!" Ruby gushed, trying to avoid Cinder's ire.

"Gohan did mention that his dad was a Saiyan, but he said his mom was a human," Yang stated.

"Wait." Weiss said suddenly. "I'm confused. How can you be half-human, but half something else? That's not how genes work! You're either human, or faunus! There is no in-between!"

"But Gohan isn't a faunus," Pyrrha added. Ruby and Cinder were about to open their mouths to respond when Blake ended the conversation.

"Guys!" she growled, drawing everyone's attention to her, save Gohan's. "This isn't important. Stay focused! We can discuss genetics and alien races later _if_ we're still alive!"

In complete silence and focus, Gohan watched every movement that Cell and Goku made, studying each attack and noting every weakness Goku found. It had taken a few moments to figure out what his father was doing for him. He had no idea how Goku had returned from Otherworld, but a dreaded feeling inside of him told him it wasn't permanent. The halo atop of the man's head was proof of that. Goku had a plan, and slowly, Gohan was piecing together what he was doing.

"Bastard," Cinder seethed under her breath. The idea that Cell had been toying with _all_ of them rubbed her the wrong way. What she wouldn't give for another crack at the monster. Maybe… with just a little bit more time, she could become strong enough to pose a threat to the seemingly invincible android. "If he loses, we're screwed. Who cares if we've healed and regained our power? There's no way we can match that," she finished with a bitter tone. Yang could only glare into the sky, wishing she could match Cell so she could deliver his comeuppance.

"What do we do now?" Weiss asked no one in particular, only to receive her answer from her teammate and partner.

"We watch, and we learn. If anyone has a chance at beating Cell, it's Goku. I believe he can win," Ruby stated confidently. Everyone wordlessly turned to her, aside from Gohan. She remained staring at the sky, her eyes darting to any visual point where Goku and Cell reappeared, wishing she had the ability to follow their movements. Her Semblance and specialty was speed.

It hurt her pride knowing that she couldn't follow those movements that Goku and Cell were capable of achieving.

Up in the sky, a battle was unfolding that would be etched into the very fabric of history. Goku met Cell with equal force and power. Neither of them had the upper hand, and each were trading blows and dealing damage to one another. Goku seemed to be having the time of his life while Cell struggled to find a way to beat his adversary. Each moment the fight dragged on, the more Cell became frustrated with the fact that he and Goku were _equal_. The Saiyan DNA within him relished the challenge to battle such an opponent, while another part of him hated being opposed by a power that could potentially be better than his.

He was the ultimate being!

He had no equal!

"You're certainly enjoying yourself, aren't you Goku?" Cell backed off with a smirk. The Saiyan absently wiped a trail of blood away from his mouth, with nothing but a grin on his face. Cell could tell his opponent wasn't really taking this fight as seriously as he should be. Goku was stronger than all of those humans put together. Even Gohan was weaker than his father by a long shot. If he was going to get the most out of his Perfect evolution, now was going to be the time. "Allow me to show you the depths of my power!"

With a grunt, the sky flashed as a flaming aura exploded around Cell. The golden electricity turned violet. His body glistened with unbridled power. Cell let out an ear-splitting roar, one that could possibly be heard all across Remnant. As he dug into his ki reserves, he brought forth a seemingly endless well of energy. Mountains crumbled all over Remnant. Fire surged across the wasteland and practically every Grimm on the planet attempted to seek shelter from this godly level of strength. Gohan erected a barrier of energy as the ground below them crumbled apart and fell into the growing pool of magma beneath the crust. The magnitude of Cell's explosion of power would have blown them across the desolate wastes without it.

There were no words from the group of humans who hovered just above the surface. A pit formed in Gohan's stomach, the energy radiating off Cell he could only describe as being divine. With a final scream, Cell dismissed his powerup, knowing he probably wouldn't need anymore to deal with Goku. A smirk was plastered across his face as he raised his hands encouraging everyone present to gaze upon his new power. Goku lost his smirk and instead, replaced it with a look of concentration.

"Getting serious now, are we?"

"Show me your power, Goku. I wish to test the strength of my Perfect form against a worthy opponent."

Goku gazed at the android before slightly averting his gaze to look down at Gohan. The father and sons' eyes met, despite the distance between the two. The Earth raised Saiyan then smiled after a few seconds of inaction, turning back to Cell as he did so.

"I'll show you the true power of a Super Saiyan!"

Goku flexed his muscles, bringing his arms to his sides. A roar exited the mature Saiyan's throat, one that shook the very foundations of the planet. However, while this one was just as fierce, it was nowhere near as long as Cell's power up. In seconds, Goku's aura intensified, a wave of heat exploding from his body. Violent, wild electric blue sparks erupted around Goku as he ascended to the next level. The Turtle student's hair was more defined and spiked, his body becoming more cut and bright. The power Goku now possessed was unlike anything Gohan thought was possible.

However, within seconds, Goku let his energy drop slightly to level himself with Cell. Gohan seemed to be the only one to catch this as everyone else was too stunned by the physical changes Goku had undergone.

" _No way…"_ Gohan thought as his eyes remained locked onto his father. " _There_ _ **is**_ _a level beyond Super Saiyan!?_ "

"You surprise me at every turn, Goku. I will truly enjoy killing you!" Cell boomed as he let his aura explode around him to match his opponent, to which Goku simply grinned. In a split second the two clashed, closing the distance before anyone even had the chance to blink. Down on the ground, Ruby groaned, her tone giving away her frustration.

"Well, if I couldn't keep up before, I certainly can't now," the girl grumbled. "Anyone else having trouble?"

"I think I speak for most of us when I say we couldn't follow them to begin with," Blake retorted sourly. Gohan had lost sight of them. He couldn't keep up. If he wanted to keep observing, he needed the amplified boost of his Super Saiyan state. Wordlessly, he allowed himself to transform. Honing his senses, his eyes darted, following invisible forces through the sky. Even now, as a Super Saiyan, he could barely keep up with their speed, a fact that was beginning to frustrate him.

"Looks like Gohan can only just keep up," Weiss observed the boy. If Gohan heard her, he gave no indication that he did. He stood completely motionless, with his head tilted towards the sky. His father was showing him everything he needed. Gohan understood precisely what the older Saiyan was trying to do. He was intentionally allowing Cell to believe that they were on the same level… but if he had the power to end Cell now, then why wasn't he doing so? The power Goku displayed transforming into the state beyond that of a Super Saiyan showed Gohan he had more than enough power to destroy Cell.

A small part of Gohan despised Goku for dragging the fight out so long. However, a sense of displeasure rose in Gohan's chest. His father wasn't supposed to win his battles for him anymore. It made him feel weak and helpless. Sure, when he was a kid, the feeling of helplessness was something he was familiar with and had no qualms calling on his dad to take care of the bad guy for him. However, Gohan had grown up. For several years it had been his responsibility to vanquish the horrors of his world, and now Remnant's. Gohan felt directly responsible for allowing Cell to even make it this far.

A part of him wanted Goku to leave him alive so that he may have another shot at killing Cell himself.

He had brought him to Remnant.

He _should_ be the one to kill him.

Goku boomed as he ripped across the sky, closing the distance between him and Cell. He collided with the creature, delivering a bone-shattering punch to the face. Cell was unable to block it, his face contorting to Goku's attack. However, the android retaliated with his own blow, kicking Goku in the stomach. The two stumbled backward in the air before launching at each other again with the intent to kill. Blow after blow, the two battled it out, reshaping the landscape below them as they did.

Gohan and the rest had since taken to the sky seeing as the land beneath them had become too unstable to remain on. Molten lava had almost completely covered the ground, rendering it impossible to stand upon. This was a fight unlike anything they had seen before. All of them aside from Gohan were still relatively new to these kinds of fights and their progress to adapting to them had been phenomenal. However, the sheer destructive force behind every attack made what they had grown up learning, look like a child's playground spat.

With a single attempted kick, Goku had managed to create a blazing tornado, picking up lava and turning the deadly gusts of wind into a firestorm. With a single punch, Cell had pushed it away, creating many more. Not even ten minutes into the fight and the barren obsidian wasteland they had arrived in looked unrecognizable. The earth had split and cracked, angry and in pain. The planet's crust creaked in agony as the fight raged on. With every ki blast, a new hole in the planet was created. If they continued for much longer, the girls were convinced there would be nothing left of their planet.

Once again, Goku and Cell clashed right before their very eyes. Even to the trained warriors, the legendary fighters in front of them were nothing but a blur. Electricity crackled around them as they moved about in the air, throwing every kind of punch and kick they could to break through each other's guard. Despite the volatile situation, Gohan remained motionless, focused and silent as he observed the fight. Yang floated next to him with a pained look on her face, despite being healed of her ailments thanks to the Senzu Bean.

"You know, when you first taught me how to harness this power, you said people that knew how to control their energy could topple mountains and reshape landscapes," Yang recalled, thinking of more happy and peaceful times. She had the brightest smile on her face back in those days. It felt like an eternity had passed since then, but it had only been a year. How things could change so fast was beyond her. "I thought you were joking… I wasn't aware you were _downplaying_ its capabilities. I'm surprised our planet hasn't exploded yet from all this power being thrown around."

"Freeza destroyed Namek by blasting the core. Remnant should be fine no matter the damage it takes on the surface. However, with this amount of power… all it would take is a stray blast to break through the planet's crust and strike the core. Then, it's game over. I know Cell won't do that. He's too prideful to resort to such a tactic yet. He and my father are fighting on equal terms. Cell would only resort to such a tactic if he was outmatched and had no way out," Gohan explained. Yang gave him a curious look as she mulled over his words.

Was it really that easy to destroy a planet?

"Look at them go…" Pyrrha trailed off, wincing as another sonic boom ripped through the land, sending a ripple of molten lava across the unstable land below them. The barrier was bombarded continuously with tremendous force every time Goku and Cell clashed, some of the force managing to penetrate the shield as harsh wind. As the group watched on, they were entranced by the way the fight was going. Neither fighter looked like they were going to slow down at any rate when they came back into their field of view. Neither looked hurt in the slightest and seemed to be taking immense joy in their bout.

"They look like they're having fun," Cinder commented rather sourly. "I didn't know our survival was nothing more than a game to them."

"We just have to hope Goku wins," Ruby said hopefully. Gohan wanted to scoff at the idea. It was clear that Goku was playing around. He had seen his father fight seriously. This wasn't his style. He was leaving himself open against Cell's non-lethal attacks. Anything aimed to kill him, he avoided without so much as a sweat. His father was playing around but at the same time, pushing the right buttons into making Cell fight seriously. Every attack and defensive movement Cell made, Gohan saw.

Goku was allowing Gohan to study his opponent before he was going to fight him next.

A frown crossed the boy's face. As much as he wanted to kill Cell himself, if his father expected him to jump back into the fight after this, he had obviously lost his mind after being dead so long. No amount of power increase in the next few minutes would close the gap between him and Cell. He needed time to train and push himself beyond his limits like he had done against the Androids. Surely Goku knew this was the case; otherwise, he would be taking this fight much more seriously.

Which led Gohan to believe that Goku had a plan.

At least… he hoped he did.

"Oh come on, Cell!" Goku laughed as he phased out of existence only to appear behind the android, delivering a crippling kick to the monster's back. "I know you can do better than that!"

"If you think I'm even close to giving up, you have another thing coming, Goku. I know you haven't been taking this fight seriously, so why should I?" Cell retorted as he retreated from Goku and crossed his arms. The Earth raised Saiyan didn't respond to that comment and merely took his time to come up with a suitable response. Once again, a smirk crossed Goku's face.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. I've been using my full power the moment I transformed into this state. I know you're hiding your true power, Cell. So let me see it."

"No, I don't think I will. If what you say is true, then I have no need to use my true power against the likes of you. I will crush you with the power I have now. There's no need for me to go overboard. Not even against _you_!" Cell burst forward and nailed Goku in the face. In that moment, the fight took a turn for the worse. Cell had increased his power beyond that of Goku's in a split second and began overpowering the Saiyan warrior. The dwindling fires of hope within the fighters of Remnant began to decline as Goku began taking more hits than he was giving the android.

" _He's losing intentionally. What are you planning, Dad?"_ Gohan wondered as he watched the battle continue, his face betraying no emotions.

"We have to help him!" Ruby cried suddenly.

"And do what!?" Weiss countered quickly. "This isn't a fight we can hope to win. Cell was toying with us before, and he's only showed that he's hiding more power than he let on. We'd stand no chance!"

"I'm not going to wait around to die," Cinder hissed, agreeing with Ruby.

"We're just going to get in his way," Blake argued. "We have to stay back and watch."

"Watch!?" Pyrrha growled. "What we've been doing ever since Cell appeared is watch-"

" **Everyone, shut up!** " Gohan roared. All attention was drawn to him in nothing short of three words. Silence reigned over the group as they all stared at the motionless Super Saiyan, who didn't look at all interested in helping his father. "Watch closely," Gohan instructed. "My father is one of the strongest warriors in the universe. Cell isn't even close to beating him."

"How can you even say that-" Weiss started, only to be cut off as Gohan turned around and glared at her.

"Just. **Watch.** "

She swallowed nervously, the rest of the group turning their attention back to the fight. Goku was getting pummeled by Cell left and right with almost no way of escaping the beating. However, after a few moments, a surge of energy erupted through the air and sent Cell tumbling. Flashing through the air, Goku was suddenly on the offensive. His power had increased dramatically, making Cell's look almost insignificant in comparison. The Saiyan roared with an animalistic echo, lava and molten fire exploding all around him as he rammed into Cell.

Blood erupted from the android's mouth as Goku began his ruthless assault. Faster than they could blink, Goku had sent Cell flying across the burning wasteland. He turned Cell into a pinball, knocking him all over the battleground with his daunting speed and strength.

" **KAAAA,** " Goku's booming voice echoed throughout the land as he continued to pummel Cell.

" **MEEEE**."

Gohan poured more energy into his shield to surround the group, so much that it became a visible golden bubble. He knew they were going to need it with how much energy Goku was generating. The planet shook once more as Goku was engulfed in a blue light as he knocked Cell into the sky only to appear above him, drop kicking the helpless android into the fiery chasm below.

" **HAAAA MEEEEEE,** "

Cell recovered just before he hit the lava. The entire sky was bathed in a bright blue light, signaling the charging of the legendary attack. Goku had cupped his hands, a raging expression of concentration crossing his face as he did so. Cell powered up, readying himself to take the full brunt of Goku's attack. The energy that swelled in the sky had everyone speechless. The limits of what they could sense were breaking over and over again in a single day. Was there a cap to how much energy one could produce!?

"You fool," Cell spat. "You fire from there, and you'll destroy the planet! I didn't take you for the suicidal type Goku-!" Cell found himself lost for words when Goku suddenly vanished from the sky, only to appear directly in front of him, inches from his body with a full powered Kamehameha ready to blow. Cell had absolutely no time to guard and was too stunned by the speed Goku had shown just now. Fear took hold in the android's eyes as Goku threw his hands forward.

" **HAAAA!** "

His voice was like a divine sentencing from God.

The roar echoed through the entire _planet_ as the legendary attack exploded forth from Goku's hands, engulfing the android whole and ripping him to shreds. Cell hadn't gotten a moment to scream before his entire upper half was disintegrated under the incredible energy. The Kamehameha wave continued on, digging into the earth and creating a wide chasm that stretched far into the horizon and beyond the Grimmlands. The damage could be seen from outer space. Lava poured from the rupture in the earth as the dust finally cleared.

"Holy shit…" Cinder uttered breathlessly as she observed the damage. Little did she know, she spoke for the entire group, minus Gohan. If it hadn't already, the fact had now sunken in that the group of Remnant teenagers were right in the middle of a battle between _Gods_. Nothing else could justify this kind of damage on this scale. Absolutely nothing on Remnant was even capable of coming close.

All that remained of Cell was his bottom half, that sat on a small patch of rock, surrounded by lava, which threatened to consume his remains in minutes.

Goku remained hovering in mid air, a few meters above the supposed corpse, a scowl on his face. Gohan wore the same scowl on his features while the group of humans he had been protecting broke out into cheers.

"He did it!" Ruby gasped.

"I… I can't believe it," Weiss started.

"Is it over?" Pyrrha questioned, disbelieving the event that had just occurred. "Is it really over?"

"No."

The voice did not come from Gohan; instead it came from Blake. Everyone except for Gohan turned to her, the Saiyan choosing to remain silent, his eyes locked on Cell's corpse.

"It's not over."

"What do you mean?" Yang demanded. Blake pointed to the topless body of Cell.

"I can still sense his energy. He's not dead."

Before anyone could argue with her logic, Gohan confirmed her statement.

"Blake's right. Cell is far from dead."

As if on cue, Cell's power surged as the bottom half of his body jolted upright, causing almost everyone present to feel sick. Even Goku looked disgusted. The exposed flesh twisted and pushed upwards and suddenly, Cell's top half burst out in a fountain of green liquid. Ruby and Weiss cupped their mouths, desperately trying not to be sick. Cinder looked away in horror while Pyrrha's eyes remained trained on the creature, believing herself to be in some kind of never-ending nightmare.

"I… AM WHOLE!" Cell boomed. Immediately he looked up at Goku, who wore an expression of disgust. However, he was also not surprised about the regenerative abilities; the android held Piccolo's cells after all. "You will pay dearly for that, Goku," Cell stated angrily. Goku slowly gilded down, his body unmoving until he was eye level with Cell. Said android lifted his body off the ground just in time for the lava to consume the rock his body had landed on.

"You're only alive because you have Piccolo's cells in you, monster," Goku growled, his tone low and unforgiving. "DNA that does not belong to you."

"Spare me your morality garble," Cell hissed. "Come and face me. The fate of this world is in your hands now."

Goku said nothing and tore towards Cell once more. The moment they clashed, fire shot into the sky, surrounding the two fighters and obscuring the audience's view.

The fight continued, neither combatant gaining any footing against the other. It felt like an eternity to everyone watching. Eventually, after a while, both fighters began to show signs of fatigue, Goku more than Cell. It was clear they were reaching their limits but to the other Saiyan present, he knew Goku had been holding back the majority of his power the whole time. It became clear the moment Goku had unleashed his Kamehameha wave on Cell.

The father meant for his son to ultimately finish the job.

"I grow tired of these games, Goku!" Cell growled, steadying himself in the air. "Give me a real fight or I will destroy this planet and everyone on it!"

Goku regarded Cell's words carefully. A soft growl echoed from the ascended Saiyan's throat. He'd hoped for more time than this, but just as King Kai had warned him, excessive use of his power would drain his time in the land of the living. He couldn't keep going this way; he either needed to kill Cell now or enact his plan. The former idea didn't feel right to the Saiyan. He had been dead for years, and while Dr. Gero created cell for the sole purpose of killing him, this fight wasn't his anymore.

Gohan had trained, bled, and fought through near impossible circumstances to defeat his adversaries. He had finally felled the Androids, only to end up here, bringing all the demons from their world to this one. Goku turned, sparing a quick look at his son. Gohan stared back at him, a silent exchange taking place. There wasn't enough time left for him even to consider the other option now. He had made his choice when he had chosen to spend most of his time with his wife.

" _I hope I'm not making a mistake here,_ " Goku thought as he powered down. " _When I died, I left Earth in your hands, Gohan. I'm not about to take that away from you._ "

"What do you think you're doing!?" Cell demanded angrily. The bright golden glow that encompassed Goku's form disappeared, leaving him with his signature messy black hair. Cell's power flared in a rage, sensing the possibility that Goku was done with the fight. Unfortunately for Cell, he was right about his assumption. " _Surely_ you aren't planning on quitting. From what I just said, you should understand the consequences of your actions."

"No, it's clear to me I don't have the power to kill you yet," Goku lied. "However, that doesn't mean you won't get a challenge. How about it, Cell? You don't seem like the kind to pass up a good fight."

"No," the android replied angrily. "I do want a decent fight to test the extents of my perfect body fully. It seems though, that the only good fight I'm going to get is throwing in the towel early. I had hoped you wouldn't disappoint me as your son did. Clearly, I was mistaken!" Cell spat in a barely contained rage.

"I wouldn't jump to that conclusion just yet, Cell. You will get your fight, that I can promise you. You just need to wait a bit longer."

"I've waited long enough, Goku! I've spent years biding my time to reach my perfect form, slinking through the shadows like some kind of rat. I will not be denied the challenges I've been born to overcome! Now transform, Goku. I will prove to you that I am the superior fighter. I have no equal!" Cell demanded, annoyance lacing every word. Goku grimaced, a sour look overcoming his features. He was slowly running out of time. If this went on any longer, he would be forced back to Otherworld without giving his son the opportunity he needed to beat Cell.

"If you kill all of us now, then you'll be waiting for years to find an opponent capable of testing your full strength on. Come on, Cell. Aren't you at least a little bit curious what we Saiyans are capable of? I might be strong, but my son has the power to _crush_ you. All he needs is time. You aren't scared are you?" Goku taunted a little. Cell's face showed how abhorrent he found that accusation to be. The android ground his teeth, furious that Goku dared to call _him_ a coward when _he_ was the one giving up.

However, Cell's curiosity burned inside of him like a renewed flame. He had dispatched of Gohan rather easily when he acquired his perfect form. What could Goku be hinting at here?

"I defeated Gohan without breaking a sweat. He would have been killed if you didn't show up. Why should I entertain this little claim, Goku? What's so special about the boy that could allow him to gain the power to surpass you, let alone me," Cell retorted, having managed to calm himself down after Goku's little jab.

"If I tell you, you might not want to give him the time he needs to train. He has power, he just doesn't quite know how to use it yet, but when he does… I can promise you, Cell. You'll get the fight you've been looking for, and more," Goku said with the utmost confidence. Cell glared at Goku, saying nothing in response. The android's eyes drifted behind Goku and towards Gohan and the rest of his human friends. The boy had surprised him on the few occasions when they fought. Gohan had him outclassed when he was in his first form. In his second, Gohan still had the strength to match him.

This claim wasn't something Cell could just ignore. The desire burned through the android's body. If he destroyed the planet and everyone on it, he would be tormented by Goku's words for the rest of eternity. He wanted this fight so badly. He was designed to be perfect, with no fighter that could match him. However, the essence that burned within him desired a challenge. Something to test his power against. If Goku wasn't going to give it to him, someone _had_ to.

"What are you proposing then, Goku? You have caught my interest. You better not be wasting my time."

"Seven days," Goku said simply, causing Cell to raise his eyes. "Give Gohan and his friends seven days, and you will have your challenge, Cell. I'm sure you can wait seven days," he continued. Then, as if a light bulb had appeared atop the Saiyan's head, an idea came forth. "Hey! Why don't you make it a contest? You know, like what we had back on Earth!"

"A contest?" Cell mused, his anger subsiding somewhat. The idea perplexed him; however, he didn't look quite convinced at the idea. "You are talking about the World Martial Arts tournament, are you not?"

"Yeah! Sure! How about it then, Cell?"

"Why should I bother wasting my time entertaining such a pointless event?"

"Don't you want to prove that you're the strongest? If you give Gohan and the others seven days, they can match you without a doubt."

If looks could kill, Goku would have been erased from existence. Cell looked murderous at the idea of being called a coward.

"I noticed, Goku, that in your little proposal, you do not seem to be present in this little deal of ours. Tell me, do you intend not to face me after these seven days are up?" Cell asked, looking annoyed. Goku chuckled as he powered down to his base form, his body instantly dropping mass and his hair returning to its iconic onyx black. "I would be horribly disappointed if I went to all this effort to allow you all to grow stronger, only for you to not show yourself."

Goku took a few seconds to respond, his brain working furiously to come up with a satisfactory answer that Cell would accept. He needed to give Gohan and the others time, seeing as he was practically out of it. He was minutes away from being recalled back to Otherworld. Any longer as an Ascended Super Saiyan and he would have drained away what time he had left. A small part of him wanted to kick himself for not confronting Cell sooner, but it wouldn't have been fair to all his remaining friends on Earth… let alone his wife. She had been over the moon to see him again and this time, he had the proper amount of time to say his goodbyes.

Chi-Chi was saddened but thankful that she at least got to spend one more day with her husband. At least she could say goodbye properly this time. He owed her that much.

"If you manage to beat my son, I have no problem returning from the afterlife to face you, Cell," Goku lied. He knew he would never be able to fulfill that kind of promise. This was a once in eternity privilege that only the noblest of souls managed to get. Due to his efforts against Freeza and many other foes in the past, he had been granted this opportunity. "You'll have earned that much but forgive me if I have my doubts. I _know_ Gohan has what it takes to beat you."

"A bold statement," Cell chuckled. "Very well, Goku. Your son and his friends may have their _seven_ days to prepare. Our battleground will be where Vale once stood. Be sure they arrive there at 10 A.M sharp. My patience is not to be tested," the android continued. After a few passing moments, the biomechanical warrior began chuckling once again, as if he had heard a silent joke. "This event shall be known as the 'Cell Games.' I'll be sure to inform _all_ of Remnant of the day where the fate of their world will be decided."

And just like that, Cell turned and disappeared into the horizon.

The moment the Bio-android fled the scene, the hellscape that was once a barren wasteland had settled down. While the place still looked like Hell, the storms had subsided, leaving a peaceful crimson sky. The damage had already been done to the land, but at least the environment around them wasn't attempting to burn them alive anymore. Lava peacefully rolled across the ground as the winds calmed.

Goku let out a sigh of relief as he turned around and flew over to Gohan and his friends.

"For a minute there, I didn't think he was going to accept!" Goku chuckled lightly, causing a light smile to appear on Gohan's face. "Didn't know I was such a gifted speaker."

"Can you fill us in? We didn't quite catch what was going on," Gohan asked. Goku nodded and then proceeded to inform them of what trials were laid out before them.

The reactions were rather… mixed.

"Seven days!?" Cinder boomed. "What the _Hell_ are we supposed to do in _SEVEN_ days that could possibly close the gap between us and Cell!?" she demanded hotly. Goku didn't answer but instead gave Gohan a look, one the hybrid Saiyan knew all too well. Goku intended for them to use the Room of Spirit and Time on Earth. He had already used a year in there to prepare himself for the fight with Seventeen and Eighteen. Little did he know he was going to be returning there to train more to fight yet another android.

"Dad," Gohan asked, completely ignoring Cinder's question, leaving the woman almost fuming. Pyrrha thankfully managed to calm the woman down by placing her hand on her shoulder. Cinder shrugged it off angrily, but it seemed to chill her burning anger that happened to be bubbling to the surface. "That transformation you used. Is that the level beyond Super Saiyan?"

"Yeah," Goku responded with a more serious expression. "I won't lie Gohan, I went through the training of my life, well afterlife, to achieve that state. It took me years to tap into and months to control. However, I believe you can do it. You've always had that power within you. All you need to do is tap into it, Gohan. I can still sense it inside of you, even now."

"Yeah… I know, but I haven't the faintest idea how to bring it out."

"I know you will succeed."

"That isn't exactly helpful. I'm grateful you've allowed me a chance to right my own wrongs with Cell. He's my responsibility and I brought him to this world, but I've had that potential since I was just a boy? What am I supposed to do to unlock it? Where am I even supposed to begin? How am I-" Gohan was cut off as Goku put a hand on the boy's shoulder, filling him with a sense of peace. It was something he hadn't felt in such a long time. His father's feelings… he was _proud_ of him. If Gohan hadn't trained so long to control his emotions, he was sure he would have burst into tears in that moment.

"I _know_ you can do it, Gohan. The best advice that I can give you, is that this kind of power comes in response to a need, not a desire."

"I'll keep that in mind…" Gohan replied looking up at his father. A look of disappointment crossed his face. "You're going now, aren't you?"

"What gave it away?"

"The halo… and the fact that people can't be wished back to life with the Dragon Balls if they've died naturally," Gohan retorted in a depressive manner. Goku chuckled.

"I used up all my time back on Earth finding the Dragon Balls and spending time with your mother. I've told her that you're safe and that you'll be coming home soon. She was overjoyed. She longs to see you again. Make sure Cell doesn't take that away from her," Goku said seriously. Gohan knew he couldn't allow Cell to win again. He had to find a way to access the level beyond a Super Saiyan and he had a year in the Time Chamber to figure it out. He was certain he could do it.

Floating forward, Gohan wrapped his arms around the man who, for the majority of his life, had been absent. Gohan never held it against the man. He had the fondest memories of spending time with him as a small child but it had all come crashing down on top of them. It was beyond Goku's control. They had done the best with what fate had given them and in the end, Goku ended up being claimed by something his strength couldn't beat.

No one dared to interrupt the moment between the two.

Yang watched on, wiping a small tear out of her eyes. Gohan had told her stories of his father. How he had always looked up to him and promised himself he would one day make his father proud. From her point of view, it seemed that Goku was already proud of Gohan and the boy just refused to accept it until he had proved it to _himself_. She watched as the man slowly lifted an arm and wrapped it around his son. It seemed the older Saiyan didn't really quite have a deep understanding of affection but knew enough to reciprocate Gohan's feelings.

"I've missed you, Dad."

"So have I, Son," Goku replied in a much softer tone than usual. "I know you want me to stay but my place is in Otherworld now. I can't come back, despite how much I want to. I was lucky to have this chance to at least say good-bye… and that you've made me proud. Make sure you give Cell Hell for me."

As if on cue, Goku's body started to become translucent, his energy fading. Separating from his only son, Goku slowly floated backward, waving goodbye in the process. Gohan gave his father a thumbs up, while Goku returned with a confident smile that put the half-Saiyan at ease.

"Good luck… all of you. Remember all those who have died because of Cell and how many more lives are on the line," he stated wisely. Yang, Pyrrha and Blake who had been watching the exchange between father and son silently, nodded at the man's request. Cinder merely looked away while Ruby and Weiss smiled. Finally, Goku gave Gohan one last look before he disappeared entirely.

" _I'm always with you_."

His voice was nothing but an echo on the wind as his body faded entirely, his spirit and body returning to the Otherworld.

After a few moments of silence, Gohan's fists tightened.

"Time to go home."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **And there you have it! Goku vs. Cell! I hope it satisfies you guys, because as I said it was a joy to write. Naturally, I didn't want to have Goku beat Cell because he was absent for most of the story, and it wouldn't really make any sense to have him come in and save the day out of nowhere.**

 **Yes, Goku already had Super Saiyan 2. This was a topic of debate with some of my editors. We concluded that Goku at this point has been training in Otherworld since he died, and has easily achieved Super Saiyan 2. Whether or not he is close to Super Saiyan 3 is still up in the air, but it's not particularly relevant. I'll leave that fact up to you guys.**

 **Also another point. Some of you might call me out for Goku not killing Cell immediately. He clearly had the power to do so, and I hinted at it multiple times that he was holding back during his fight with Cell. My reasoning behind this is:**

 **1) If Goku killed Cell, it would be hugely anti-climatic, and I have no doubt a lot of you would be VERY disappointed if I ended the story that way.**

 **2) As shown in the Buu Saga, Goku stated that he intentionally left Buu alive when he fought him in Super Saiyan 3, and that he had the power to kill him, so that the others could have a chance to fight him (Goten and Trunks I assume). So it wouldn't strike me as being out of character for Goku to buy time for Gohan for him to get stronger and face the threat on his own. I'm not sure if that's a dub-only thing, but this is one of the reasons.**

 **3) Goku was running low on time and therefore, could not use his full power. I kind of foreshadowed this when Goku said he was going to spend time with his wife before coming to the battle. He spent most of his time on Earth, taking his time to say goodbye to those he left behind. Chi-Chi, Master Roshi and anyone who was still alive. Goku knows there's no coming back and that this was a one time opportunity for him.**

 **On another note, some of you clued into the fact that I was taking the plot to Earth. Sort of. The RWBY gang is going to Earth to train and prepare for my version of the Cell Games. So before you guys start yelling at me for being unoriginal, I want to say that things are not going to be the same. Not by a longshot. Also, I have a few pleasant surprises up my sleeves that I feel you guys might like. Some of you have already started to clue in on one of them in the reviews :)**


	24. Earthbound

**A/N:**

 **Been hard at work lately. Working on other stories just to keep my writing mojo alive. While I will kind of stick to my 60,000-word cap before I post a new story, that doesn't mean I don't work on new ideas when I'm not writing this story or Pride of Four. Check my profile to see what stories I'm working on.**

 **Right now, I'm working on a Fate Stay Night - Kaleid/DBZ crossover in my spare time. Watched all four seasons of it, along with the movie. Also, watched Unlimited Blade Works and am also in the process of reading the visual novel for the Fate and Heaven's Feel routes, for those who like Fate/Stay Night.**

 **Also, shout out to my editor Doomguy914 for writing a scene in this chapter!**

 **That being said, enjoy the new chapter!**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Four: Earthbound_

The trip to Earth certainly didn't take long.

After a quick stop by Remnant's own Lookout, Ruby had been quick to take everyone she could back to Earth where they would be preparing for the coming battle with Cell. At first, none of them really realized they had moved. Gohan had done an amazing job recreating Earth's Lookout from memory, seeing as it was almost identical. The only difference was that this one was floating in mid-air, much closer to the Earth's atmosphere. Upon arrival, Gohan and the others immediately saw Qrow and Raven. The two were sitting on the steps of the temple, talking with serious expressions on their faces. However, the group's arrival caused the siblings to halt their conversation.

"Look who finally decided to join the party," Qrow drawled, pushing himself to a standing position. Raven opted to remain seated as she gazed up at her daughter as well as the rest of her group. One look at Raven and you could tell the woman's pride had taken a hit. She was taken out in one shot by a monster whose power made her look like an insect in comparison. "I take it since Oz isn't with you, that he didn't make it."

"He sacrificed himself to disarm one of the Relics Salem had. He gave us an opening to exploit," Gohan responded, displaying no emotion on his face. He was silently seething that he couldn't save the man, however, it had been Ozpin's decision. It was a shame they hadn't dealt with Salem sooner, but Cell had been the bigger priority.

"I kind of figured that was the case when we came back to find Salem on her knees. I wasn't expecting the old man to make such a bold move. Guess I underestimated him," Qrow retorted rather bitterly. Gohan could see conflict in the man's eyes. Ozpin's passing didn't seem to have as much of an effect on the man's psyche as Ruby's did. The man was his friend… or associate. There was remorse, but at the same time, there was acceptance. Ozpin had died on his own terms and that at least gave Qrow some closure.

"So, this is Earth…" Blake curiously looked around, absently strolling to the edge of the Lookout and peering over. Luscious green terrain painted the ground miles below. There was a sense of peace to behold, something she had never sensed before having grown up on Remnant. Grimm had a distinct feel to them ever since she had learned how to sense energy. They were alive… but dead at the same time. It was hard to put into words but standing here, she felt at peace. "This seems like a nice place to live."

"Yeah, no kidding," Yang said, coming up behind Blake with Ruby and Weiss in tow. "Gohan told me this place had been through Hell because of the Androids. It's hard to imagine, but other than local crime and the occasional bad guy, people live in peace here. Grimm don't exist on Earth. It sounds almost like paradise compared to Remnant."

"No Grimm?" Weiss stated absently as if she didn't believe it. "Is that true?"

"Yep!" Ruby chirped. "I flew over most of the world while collecting the Dragon Balls with Goku before I came back to Remnant. I didn't see a single Grimm! It's kinda hard to believe, isn't it? This world is similar to ours but at the same time, it isn't. Blake's right, it would be kind of nice to live here, not having to worry about the Grimm," she chuckled lightly. She turned slightly to look over her shoulder. Across the way from them, Pyrrha and her team had sat down and were catching up. Jaune, Ren, and Nora were showing Pyrrha that they were finally starting to learn the concepts of energy manipulation.

Apparently, Nora had convinced the stoic Android Sixteen to teach them the basics.

The four girls that made up Team RWBY sat down on the edge and peered into the distance, talking and laughing like old times. From a distance, Gohan sighed as he watched Qrow and Raven wander over to them and join in on the conversation. The team had been separated for so long, with Ruby having been dead. They deserved this time to catch up without being in the middle of a life or death skirmish. Some part of him blamed himself for them splitting in the first place. If he had never landed on Remnant, they would be leading a life of adventure and happiness. Without him around, he was sure that they would have stuck together no matter what they went through.

The same went for Pyrrha and her team. Just the way they were smiling and laughing together… it saddened him that he had brought such strife to their lives.

"You've grown."

The voice was deep and recognizable. The familiarity to the tone almost froze Gohan to the spot. Slowly turning, the boy looked behind him to see a large figure, dressed in a purple gi, wearing his signature weighted cape and turban. The half-Saiyan's eyes widened to an almost impossible degree. Elation and regret flooding his entire body. Standing before him, wearing a proud smirk on his face, was none other than his long-since dead mentor, Piccolo.

"M-Mister Piccolo?" Gohan hadn't even realized his voice was shaking. Gohan had lost all the strength in his body as he stood in front of his teacher, the very same one he had gotten killed with his reckless actions.

"How are you doing, Kid?" the Namekian warrior replied calmly. Gohan struggled to find a response but his words failed him. Averting his eyes, he refused to meet Piccolo's eyes out of shame. Seeing his Namekian teacher again brought forth emotions and guilt he thought he had long since buried. His eyebrows furrowed as for the first time in many years, the half-Saiyan struggled to hold back tears. However, try as he might, his vision blurred as tears slowly dripped down his checks.

"I…" Gohan started, doing his best to squash his inability to talk. "I'm… sorry."

"I never blamed you, Gohan. You were just a boy trapped in an inescapable nightmare," Piccolo retorted after a few moments of silence. "I'm proud of the man you've grown into. You faced the Androids on your own for years, fighting for all of our sakes. You've become a warrior, even better than the likes of your father. You just don't know it yet," his words of wisdom washed over the hybrid like a gentle breeze. Gohan slowly stopped shaking, his fear slowly being washed away as Piccolo raised a hand and gently placed it on his shoulder.

"I… I let you die. It was all my fault."

"And yet, you became stronger because of it, Gohan," Piccolo retorted sagely. Gohan finally looked up into the Namekian's eyes, seeing no trace of contempt or distaste. He only saw peace… and an overwhelming sense of pride. "You should know this by now, Gohan. Sometimes people must die for the sake of others, in order for them to keep moving forward. I couldn't allow you to perish that day because I knew you were the only one with the power to stop those monsters."

Gohan didn't know what to say. The self-pity he had been feeling had been washed away with a few simple words from his mentor. Piccolo certainly had a way with words. He had been blunt and brutal, yet at the same time understanding and protective ever since the day he had met him. Piccolo had always been there to look out for him, even if the Namekian would never admit it. During those hellish six months before the Saiyans arrived, Piccolo had told him he had to survive on his own.

However, Gohan realized that Piccolo had been silently watching over him, slowly edging him in the right direction. He had always wondered how he had survived certain situations but it had all made sense once he got older. It was tough love in a way. Gohan had to respect that.

"Dry your tears," Piccolo stated suddenly, a hint of annoyance to his tone. Gohan chuckled slightly as he wiped the waterworks away. "It's unbecoming of a warrior. What would Vegeta say if he saw you like this?" his mentor chided. Gohan suppressed the urge to shudder, a mental image of Vegeta screaming at him while simultaneously pummeling him into the dirt. The Prince of all Saiyans wouldn't be able to stomach the idea that one of the surviving members of the Saiyan race would be so emotional.

Before Gohan could respond, another voice made itself known.

"As heartfelt as this reunion is, I'm afraid we do not have much time," walking out of the darkness of the temple to stand next to Piccolo, was none other than Kami. It had been years since Gohan had seen or talked to the Guardian of Earth. Following along beside the ancient Namekian, the friendly genie, Mr. Popo stood silently. "King Kai has informed me of what is to be done. The Room of Spirit and Time has been prepared. All that matters now is deciding who is to go first."

Gohan turned to signal for his friends to come over and join him. Team RWBY and the others were quick to follow, joining the conversation in just a few seconds. Some of them were quite unnerved by Piccolo and Kami's physical appearances. Nora was about to point it out, but was quickly silenced by an elbow from Pyrrha and a glare from Jaune. Kami's eyes briefly glanced over all of them, his eyes lingering on Cinder for a few moments before moving on.

"As I understand, you are all here to prepare for your coming battle with Cell. The task ahead of you will be treacherous. The Room of Spirit and Time is a place unlike any other. While inside, you will be subjected to conditions which the human body will not be used to. Temperatures can fluctuate to dangerous degrees in both directions almost instantaneously, which can catch you off guard if you're not careful. The gravity increases the further into the chamber you go. Be warned, if you are not ready to take on this task, I urge you to reconsider," Kami warned warily. Everyone took the time to consider his words. Gohan already knew what he was getting into. Perhaps he should have warned everyone what it was like before they had come here. It was too late now. Everyone looked ready to take on the task.

"The chamber can only support two people at a time and you can only spend a maximum of two years inside. Any more and the door will lock and you will be stuck in there for all eternity," Mr. Popo stated, stepping forward to explain the rules of the chamber. "While inside the chamber, you will experience a substantial time dilation. In layman's terms, one full day on the outside is exactly one full _year_ on the inside," he finished, noting the bewildered expressions on everyone's faces. Gohan could only nod, having been reminded of the harsh conditions.

"Wait! So… you could spend an entire year in that room and only a single day would have passed out here!?" Weiss exclaimed, completely flabbergasted.

"That's what he said," Yang replied, still trying to wrap her head around it. Gohan had briefly mentioned his journey into the chamber during his preparation to fight Androids Seventeen and Eighteen, but he had never gone into detail. "Sounds intense… I wonder what's its like in there with all those conditions bearing down on you?"

"Now this makes sense," Cinder said, sounding a little more at ease. She gestured over towards Gohan before she opened her mouth. "I was wondering why your father had convinced Cell to give us _seven_ days. At first, I thought it was almost insanity that we could close the power gap in such little time… but now, I see what he was getting at," she finished, sounding rather impressed by the dead Saiyan's master plan. She turned to the rest of the group, regarding them carefully. The only person she could call a friend here was Pyrrha and even then… the thought left a rather sour taste in her mouth.

However, she knew she would get over it eventually.

"So," Raven cut in. "Who goes in first?"

There was an uncomfortable silence that lasted all but a few seconds before Gohan broke it.

"It won't be me. I only have a single year left in there," he explained as he crossed his arms. "If I'm going in there again, I'm going to need to come up with a training plan, so every minute I spend in there won't be wasted. The order doesn't particularly matter. We have seven days to prepare, so we should be going into the chamber in pairs," the half-Saiyan finished. He looked around, watching the group exchange looks. He saw Jaune, Ren, and Nora take a few steps back. No amount of power they could achieve if they entered the chamber would be enough. It seemed the three more than understood where they stood in terms of power.

"Well," Cinder mused as she turned and strolled over to stand with Pyrrha. "I know who I'll be going in with," she said with a slight smirk. Jaune and Nora looked like they wanted to protest but a quick glance from the redhead told them that it was alright. No doubt she had already informed them how much Cinder had changed, seeing as they quickly calmed down after witnessing the proclamation. Yang edged herself over to Gohan's side, mouthing a quick apology to Blake, who merely rolled her eyes, smirking lightly. Piccolo seemed to take notice, scoffing in amusement.

"Pairs huh?" Weiss smirked as she turned to Ruby. The red-caped teen beamed at her. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Weiss. While she definitely missed her eccentric teammate, could she really spend an entire year alone with her? Ruby's smile made one of Weiss' eyes twitch violently. Weiss could barely stand sharing a room with this girl, let alone an entire year of isolation. However, she would put aside those feelings to better get to know Ruby. She was her partner after all.

"Not so fast," A green hand clamped down on Ruby's head. The girl tore her attention away from Weiss to see Piccolo standing behind her menacingly. "When you left Otherworld, I never said we had finished your training," Piccolo stated, his entire form cast in an ominous shadow. Ruby audibly swallowed as she turned to Weiss, reaching out her hands to clutch the girl before she was pulled away by her red-cape. Weiss wouldn't admit it but she felt regretful for not saying anything sooner.

"Well, I guess that leaves me with you," Weiss said as she turned to Blake with a smile. "I know we were never on the… greatest terms, but I think this could be a great opportunity to bond," the Schnee finished in her posh, elevated tone. Blake had to suppress her urge to laugh at the awkwardness Weiss had spoken with. Truth be told, Blake had put aside her differences for the Schnee a long time ago. It became an insignificant thing to worry about in the wide spectrum of things.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" Blake asked with raised eyebrows. Weiss spluttered, clearly having been caught off guard by Blake's accusing demeanor. However, after a few moments of embarrassment, Blake placed a hand on the silver-haired girl's shoulder, a small grin crossing her face. "Relax, I was only joking. I'm sure you're right. This will be good for us… but by no means does that mean we should take our situation any less seriously. We are going in there to train."

"Of course!" Weiss retorted hotly.

"I suppose that leaves Qrow and I," Raven cut in, looking around to see that everyone had obviously made up their minds about who they were going in with. "We will go in first, that is, unless anyone else wants to speak up," she spoke as if it were a challenge. Anyone could see the fiery determination behind her eyes. Cell had taken their teammate and friend. It was obvious that Raven felt guilty for Summer being there at all. They supposed this was her way of trying to atone for the mistakes she had made.

"Well, I guess that settles it," Qrow mused. "Rav' and I will be going in first. Can't wait to see what it's like," he finished in a rather sarcastic manner. Just as the two moved to follow Kami and Mr. Popo, a noticeable energy spiked on the edge of the Lookout, drawing the attention of almost everyone present. Flying over the edge of the Lookout in a bright white aura, a man with purple locks landed with a steady step. He wore a blue Capsule Corporation jacket along with dark black pants, yellow and black boots and a charcoal black muscle shirt underneath. Strapped to his back, was what seemed to be a sword.

"Aw man! I knew it! I knew I could sense him!" Trunks surveyed the group of people before his eyes landed on Gohan, the very same man he remembered from almost fourteen years ago. He hadn't changed a bit! Not even physically. They even stood at the same height now. "Master Gohan!" the boy exclaimed, bounding forward with one of the happiest smiles anyone had ever seen. Gohan turned and watched, slight shock on his face by how much the boy had grown since he had last seen him.

"Trunks!? Is that you?" Gohan asked with genuine surprise. The purple haired boy embraced his half-Saiyan mentor the moment he got close enough. He managed to suppress his tears, determined to not look weak in front of his former master. Trunks had grown up without his father, but that position had been filled by Gohan. The _technically older_ half-Saiyan was like a father to him. Gohan returned the hug and after a few moments, the two separated. "You're huge! It only feels like two years have passed since you were half my size."

"Yeah! While you've been gone, I've kept up my training. I've even learned how to transform!"

"Woah! Really?" Gohan replied with intrigue. It must have taken a lot for Trunks to tap into a Super Saiyan. Gohan had only just been easing the kid into the basics of tapping into his power before he left to train in the Time Chamber. It was incredible how far Trunks had progressed since he was just a kid. "That's amazing, Trunks! You'll have to show me after we all deal with Cell. We were just preparing to head into the Chamber."

"Oh!" Trunks exclaimed as he reached into his jacket pocket. "That reminds me. When Goku was here, he told my mom to make some things for you guys. I don't know how he predicted that you'd be back but I guess Goku had some kind of plan when he returned from the dead. Here," Trunks clicked the top of each capsule before tossing them to the ground. In a puff of smoke, each capsule revealed a container filled with what seemed to be battlesuits, reminiscent of Vegeta's old clothes and the ones he had worn on Namek.

"Hey! These are just like Vegeta's old gear except they're much newer… and apparently in different colors?" The son of Goku said, picking up two pairs of battlesuits. One of them was black with white armored chest plates and the other was blue, just like the one Vegeta had worn so long ago. There were red versions as well, along with yellow too. Gohan wasn't too sure that these blended well but it was clear that Bulma had some fun making these with how detailed and improved they were from the previous version.

"These are kind of cool," Yang said as she walked over and lifted up one of the yellow battlesuits. She tucked it under her arm, knowing that she would only change into it when she went into the Chamber. She recalled Bulma's name from many of Gohan's stories. No doubt she was quite gifted in regards to technology and aided Gohan for years against the androids. "Made specifically for battle, huh? I wonder if this shows off my curves…?" Yang wondered out loud absently. Gohan gave her a strange look as Raven walked over and picked up a few black ones, tossing a handful to Qrow.

"Let's go, little brother. We have work to do."

The black haired half-Saiyan watched as the drunkard rolled his eyes and followed after his sister. Raven seemed to be persistent to get into the chamber and start her training. She almost reminded him of Vegeta in a way. In thinking that, Raven and Cinder seemed to share a lot of similarities with the late Prince of all Saiyans. Something told him the three would get on just fine if he were still alive. Before long, they were out of sight, following Mr. Popo to the Room of Spirit and Time.

"I guess we'll see how successful they are tomorrow," Gohan murmured to himself.

Once Raven and Qrow arrived at the doorway leading into the Chamber, Mr. Popo carefully reached forward and opened the door, revealing a blinding white light that passed after a few seconds.

"Should you feel the need to come out before the full year has passed, I would urge you not to stay in there any longer than needed. Remaining in the chamber longer than you are capable of handling will cause severe harm to your body, mind, and soul," Mr. Popo warned. Raven scoffed as she strolled in without another word. Qrow sighed as he turned to the genie and nodded thankfully.

"Thanks for the heads up, but I think we'll be in there for the full year. We're gonna need it if we have any chance to close the gap between us and Cell," Qrow stated. The genie replied with only a somber nod, before gesturing the man into the chamber. Qrow took a deep breath and stepped in, crossing dimensions in a single motion. The echo of the door clicking behind him signified his decision. He felt a slight pressure press down on him as he walked forward and out of the small pavilion. He saw Raven standing on the precipice of some kind of white void that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"What in the…" Qrow gasped, looking around. There was nothing but flat, whiteness all around them. The only semblance of color was the temple that sat in the middle of nowhere. "This place is…" his voice reverberated throughout the bizarre emptiness, unable to come up with something to compare it to. Raven's silence told him enough of her amazement of the environment.

"How can a place like this even exist?" Raven wondered aloud. They had quickly taken notice of the permanent echo that seemed to originate from the chamber itself. Her head tilted to the side, her eyes scanning the barren void. She took a single step off the tiled platform and onto the seemingly invisible floor the Chamber had. She was immediately hit by a wave of gravity that she hadn't been prepared for. She buckled to her knees and gasped for air the moment she had, but after a few seconds, she increased her power, easing the sudden load off her shoulders. "Fascinating. I can't even begin to describe this place."

"It ain't nothing like I've ever seen before," Qrow agreed as he walked out next to her, noting her previous discomfort. He increased his energy before stepping out onto the plane, bearing victim to the same kind of pressure Raven had felt. "Well, I guess we better get started. How do you want to do this?" Qrow asked. Raven didn't respond immediately but instead, walked back into the tiled temple and started to unclip her sword from her belt, along with its sheath. Before long, she was removing her wrist guards and every bit of armor she had on her person.

"We have no need of weapons here. Cell will make us look like fools if we try to fight with them. They are nothing but toys to him and armor will only slow me down," Raven explained as she turned to him, now only sporting her regular get up, minus the wrist guards and armor. She returned to the void, stepping out into the white plane and continued on for a few paces before she turned to Qrow. "Well? Hurry up. We have one year. I don't want to waste a single moment of it."

"Yeah," Qrow chuckled mirthlessly. "I thought you'd say something like that."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Waiting around wasn't something everyone had really gotten used to.

The last year of their life had been the most intense, horrifying, and painful year of their lives. Now here they were, sitting around waiting for their turn to go into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Time seemed to slow to a crawl for the group as if a minute were lasting an eternity, but that didn't stop them from talking to their partners, laying out groundworks for their training plans. They would have an entire year to themselves and they needed to make sure they used it properly. Cinder sat with Pyrrha, chatting away about their plans, just as Weiss and Blake were. Ruby and Piccolo seemed to be doing some light exercises while the rest of team JNPR were taking their first steps to learning how to fly.

Gohan had other plans. Talking to Trunks, he was just about to take off from the Lookout to see how the Earth had held up during his absence before Yang interrupted him.

"Where are you off to? Don't we need to talk about what we're going to do in this chamber place?" Yang questioned curiously. Gohan took a moment to ponder her words while Trunks decided to stay out of the conversation. He didn't really know who the girl was. In fact, he didn't know who any of them were aside from Ruby. The name had tipped Trunks off, seeing as Ruby had told him about her sister but other than that, he wasn't really familiar with her.

"I'm working on a plan, but right now, I don't think we need to worry too much about it. I can only assume that Cinder and Pyrrha will be the next two to go in. After that, Weiss and Blake can have a shot. Then we can have our turn. Trust me, I need this time to prepare. I can't afford to waste even an hour in there if I'm going to have any chance of beating Cell," Gohan explained. Yang gave the boy a knowing smirk as she rolled her eyes in slight amusement.

"We're," the fiery blonde corrected with a pointed glare. " _We're_ going to defeat Cell, remember? This isn't just your fight. I'm fighting to defend my home too."

"Ah," Gohan said sheepishly. "Yeah, you're right."

"Anyway," Yang drawled, changing the topic. "Where are you off to?" Gohan's expression sombered immediately.

"Well, Earth is my home and it's been without me for thirteen years. I'm interested to see what's changed since I've been gone. I'm going with Trunks here to visit Bulma, and spend some time down there with them before I go off to see my mother," Gohan explained, drawing a few excited looks from Yang in the process. "It's been a long time and since my father told my mother that I was okay, it feels only right that I go and see her before I go back into the chamber to prepare for Cell."

"Aw, that's so sweet. Is it okay if I come with you?" Yang asked, but immediately raised her hands in a placating manner before Gohan could even respond. "I completely understand if you don't want me to come. I was just… you know… you were there for me when I needed someone, so I feel like it's only fair and all if I was there for you. I am your girlfriend after all."

" _Girlfriend?_ " Trunks spluttered suddenly as he turned to his ex-master. Gohan just chuckled, his signature carefree features portraying no embarrassment.

"Sure," he replied simply. "I wasn't going to say no. I'm sure my mother and Bulma would be thrilled to meet you."

"Awesome! When do we leave?"

"We were actually just about to leave. If you want to talk to your friends before you go, we'll fly a little bit slower so you can catch up," Gohan replied as he and Trunks powered up for the journey. Yang smiled, nodding as she waved at the two half-Saiyans. Before long, they had taken off into the air and disappeared down below the clouds. The blonde quickly ran over to her friends and informed them of where she was going, before diving off the Lookout to follow after Trunks and Gohan. She could sense them in the distance, not too far away from where she currently was. However, she decided to take her time. This was a completely different planet! Taking in the scenery was something she felt compelled to do!

She thundered down close to the land as she flew over various forests and mountains. After she had traveled a few miles, she started to see the damage the nightmarish androids had caused. Tell-tale signs of destruction littered different parts of the earth below her. She passed a few abandoned cities overgrown with vegetation, nothing but wild-life signatures down below. It was rather disheartening seeing all the destruction they had caused. It almost reminded her of what Vale looked like after the massive invasion. Except all this damage was caused by _two_ individuals.

Yang slowed her speed as she came upon a rather large town with several dilapidated structures and ruined roads. There were no identifiable life forces in it aside from wildlife. Touching down just outside the town, a green sign caught her eye, its letters barely visible. It read 'Ginger Town'. While she had no doubt the androids had probably destroyed this place, most of the buildings and general architecture remained intact. The culture fascinated her. The design of the buildings, streets, and even the vehicles were mind-boggling. Without even realizing it, she found herself strolling down the street stepping carefully over the uneven asphalt while glancing into the stores.

"Damn," Yang murmured as a silent breeze brushed past her. This place immediately reminded her of Newville town, the place where she had first met Cell. The eerie quiet was unsettling. She felt like she was being watched here, despite not sensing anything aside from animals. This place was a ghost town and the longer she walked through it, the more uneasy she felt. Gohan hadn't been lying when he said these androids left nothing in their wake. Either this entire town was slaughtered, or it was abandoned out of fear. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to know which one was correct.

She strolled into one of the stores, or what remained of it. From her general deduction, it looked like some kind of hardware store that sold technology. The state of the shop was decaying, obviously after so many years of lack of upkeep. Walking around, she aimlessly picked up some things that resembled camera's from her world. Most of them were dead and out of battery, clearly having been untouched for what seemed like an eternity. Even the dust told her that this place hadn't been explored for almost a decade. She discovered one of the devices strewn about the floor near the entrance of the building.

Surprisingly, upon opening it the machine sparked to life, jarring her slightly. Despite a noticeable crack in the screen, a still frame could clearly be made out. A quick glance to the bottom left-hand corner told her that this thing was almost out of juice which was unsurprising, to say the least. With an eyebrow raised, she clicked play on the most recent video. The camera whirred as the pictures came to life.

 _Yang witnessed a thriving town filled to the brim with people in a large variety of attire. The camera jumped a bit as it zoomed in on a smiling young girl, maybe nine or ten years old at the most. She was being swung by an arm each by what looked like her mother and father. Her brown pigtails jostled as she moved to and fro. Despite a lot of the city's background noise, the camera was able to make out a great deal of what was said. It was the child's birthday and they were heading to a nearby shop to select her gift. They continued their journey down the sidewalk when a car next to them came to a screeching halt._

 _The person holding the camera instinctively turned towards the vehicle._

Yang's stomach dropped when she saw what happened next _._

 _The driver was staring in his driver-side mirror in abject terror, something only the worst of nightmares could conjure on one's face. It must have been a very advanced recorder in its day because she could make out the sweat dripping in rivulets down the older male's face. A hushed murmur came over the crowded street as the camera slowly panned over to behind the car and up in the air._

 _A young male in blue jeans with a black top and white undershirt descended from the sky and landed in the middle of the street. A vibrant orange bandanna tied loosely around his neck was his most noticeable accessory. He was shortly followed by a luscious blonde female dressed in a denim dress jacket with long white sleeves and matching leggings. The image began to shake erratically as it zeroed in on the two before them._

Yang's heart rate increased when she stared into the soulless blue eyes the twins shared. She recognized these individuals immediately. They were the two mysterious fighters that Salem had summoned and the architects to her boyfriend's hellish life on Earth. Androids Seventeen and Eighteen.

 _Only a second had passed before the crowd began screaming in pure terror. Through the chaos, the family was shoved roughly against one of the storefronts lining the city street. The man's face was shown for a few seconds before the camera panned back to the machines._

" _I still don't understand why you bother with such trivial things, Eighteen. We could be out having fun right now." The twins began making their way down the street that was rapidly clearing of pedestrians._

Yang silently cursed the advanced pinpoint accurate audio enhancement that the recorder was capable of.

 _People were being thrown under one another and were squeezing their way through the stationary vehicles on the road._

 _the distinctive sounds of bones snapping and glass shattering, along with the ghastly wails coming from those in immense pain made the family panic all the more. The cries were beginning to grow quieter as the stampede had already escaped down the road._

Yang could hear the family's terrified gasps and cries of denial. The twins were coming right up on them. The blonde android tossed a stray hair out of her face.

" _I already told you, Seventeen. I'm looking for some new clothes. I heard this town was praised for its selection of women's attire. If you were to glass it from the sky like you originally intended, I'd have to fly clear across the planet for another chance." Seventeen smirked towards his twin and shrugged his shoulders._

" _I'll give you fifteen minutes to find an outfit before I start bombarding this city with pock shots. Scout's honor!" Eighteen rolled her eyes as they came right up to the shaking feed. The blonde's eyes instantly lit up, as did her brother's._

" _Well, what do we have here? Taking videos of other women while your family is right next to you? You like to live dangerously, I see," the blonde sauntered up to the camera with a seductive sway of her hips. She reached out and yanked the device from the man's grip and held it up at an angle facing herself and her brother. While Eighteen faked a glamour shot, Seventeen's mouth morphed into a sadistic grin._

Yang found it difficult to breathe. She dreaded what she would see next. However, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen.

 _It quickly panned back to show the family huddled together on the sidewalk. The father was standing in front of them while his wife had a death grip on his shoulder and her daughter's hand. Seventeen chuckled as they stood back from their audience._

" _You feel like directing this motion picture, Seventeen? I could use a steady camera guy." The image flipped several times as it was tossed over to the male android. "Sure. Just know, that the camera adds ten pounds," the teen snarked. Eighteen huffed in indignation as she strolled right up to the cowering male figure. She callously ripped the man from his family and yanked him over to stand next to her amidst the family's joint protests._

" _You're actually not too shabby, Stud. Why don't you ditch the redhead and tag along with me? If you're good, I'll even give you a reward," the blonde seductively offered as she raked a hand through the man's brown hair. Seventeen gagged as the male began to seethe. He struggled against the blonde's might as he tried to rip himself away from the promiscuous demoness._

" _Get your hands off me, you damned witch!" Seventeen began to cackle as Eighteen scowled and pushed the man away from her. He landed hard against the curb, wincing in pain. Eighteen raised a hand that immediately began to emit a yellow glow. The camera zoomed in on the man's face as he stared at the ominous light forming in the blonde's open palm. The shadows emitted from the lighting gave his face an ethereal glow._

Yang's hand quivered as she could clearly see the end reflected in the poor soul's eyes.

" _Witch. Tch! You aren't man enough to be with a real woman anyway. What use are you?" Not a second had passed before the blonde released the blast and erased the man from existence. It was over in an instant, only melted asphalt left where the man once sat._

Yang's body trembled as she continued to watch the gruesome spectacle. The child's wail was beyond haunting. Yang's crimson eyes began to well.

 _The mother gazed on in silent horror as Eighteen once again wrenched the family members away from each other. "Your husband really didn't live up to my expectations," the blonde admitted._

 _Seventeen snickered in the background. "At least he was faithful," the camera shook as the teen chortled. Eighteen closed her eyes and grinned. "That he was. It's so hard to find a steadfast man these days. Oh well, what can ya do?" She shrugged as the woman collapsed to her knees in front of her. The blonde android clasped the woman's auburn hair in her hand and yanked her to her feet._

" _No slouching on the job! There will be plenty of time to rest when we are done," The woman quit trembling and stared pleadingly into her assailant's eyes._

" _Please. Spare my daughter. She's only just turned nine today. I beg of you!" she gripped Eighteen's arm and bore her emerald eyes into the cold and lifeless sapphires. Eighteen growled and not a moment later, incinerated the woman on the spot. The young girl's wails became hoarse as her crying reached its peak. The blonde wiped her hand on her jacket._

" _It's revolting when they beg for mercy. Almost makes me want to throw up," The camera bobbed as it got closer to the female android._

" _Agreed. It makes me nauseous just thinking about it," the blonde smirked to the male holding the camera and walked slowly up to the dry heaving little girl. She bent down and patted the child on the head. "Aww, don't cry. Today's a big day from what I hear. Since it's such a special occasion, I'll grant you any birthday wish you desire," her voice was dripping with false sympathy as she rubbed the top of the young girl's head. The trembling youth opened her emerald eyes and stared emptily to her tormentors. The blank stare aimed directly at the camera for a moment before she attempted to speak. "I-I want my mommy and daddy..."_

 _Her voice died off as Eighteen stood up and aimed her palm towards her. "Wish granted." The girl disappeared just as her parents had, in a brilliant flash of light and silence. The image began to distort from the static corruption. It was tossed haphazardly over the male's shoulder and clattered to the floor inside an adjacent open door. The feed now only displayed various electronics placed on the shelves in the empty room._

" _And, cut! That's a wrap!" the male declared. The female chuckled as the footsteps of the two could be heard growing distant._

" _Happy Birthday."_

The camera crashed to the ground and it's screen shattered, as Yang's hands fell limply to her sides. Moments later she clenched them tight enough to draw blood. The various electronics in the store rattled violently as her energy unconsciously began to swirl around her.

" _Bastards!_ " Yang's thoughts were a maelstrom of emotions. Feeling sick to her stomach, she stormed out of the store and took one more look around the purged town. If she didn't get stronger, then this town would be exactly what would happen to Remnant, if not worse. Once again, Yang was reminded of the evil they were all up against. How could such evil be spawned to begin with? What kind of hatred could create such monsters!?

Letting out an angry wail, the ruined buildings surrounding her began to quake sending dust and grime to the ground.

"Yang!?" a desperate voice broke her out of her traumatic state of mind. Trunks and Gohan were floating just a few feet away from her in mid-air. They touched down and as she turned around fully, her power slowly diminished. The black-haired half-Saiyan looked at her with concern. He could see her emotional state, due to her eyes still being crimson red and wet from tears, not to mention her energy was fluctuating violently. "Are you okay?"

"No. I-I found a camera and I was curious. I wanted to...I had to," Gohan's steely gaze remained trained on her shaking form. Trunks stared with uncertainty at the volatile blonde.

"I… I just don't understand," Yang continued stuttering, trying to get her thoughts in line. "How can people be so cruel? Cell is a monster, but these… these androids look just like humans! I don't get it! Why?" she asked, her desire for answers burning and eating away at her very soul. No one, not even Roman Torchwick had the capacity to be so sadistic and merciless. There were always limits when it came to fighting bad guys on Remnant. There was always some kind of line that the criminals didn't cross. Hell, even the extremists of the White Fang didn't ruthlessly slaughter innocent families or make some kind of sick game out of it.

Sure they attacked people, hurt some and maybe even killed some… but they had a goal. They were driven for equality, regardless of how misguided they were. These two androids though… they were doing it for _fun_. They were doing it because they _could_. How could you ever live with yourself if you knew you had done all these horrible things, just because you had the power to do it? Why…!? WHY!?

"Why would they kill so many people!?" Yang screamed suddenly, stunning both Trunks and Gohan. The two glanced at each other and remained silent while Yang turned away, her fists balled and knuckles turning white. Despite hearing these stories of cruelty and brutality from Gohan, she had always pictured those two androids as nightmarish figments with human-like forms. Despite the claims that Gohan made that they appeared human, she could never truly visualize such horror being committed by people who shared the same species as her.

"They were created by Dr. Gero," Trunks started, before Gohan could respond. "From what I was told by my mother, the man was driven mad by his compulsion to kill Gohan's father, Goku. On some level, I pity them. They were programmed to kill Goku, but since he had already died from the heart virus, they decided to exterminate humanity in his place. It wasn't until Master Gohan destroyed them, that the senseless slaughter stopped."

"Some people are just evil like that, Yang. There are some foes, where words cannot reach them. Monsters like Cell. When we face him, we can't afford to pull our punches. He deserves to die, just like the androids I fought did," Gohan said, somberly. Yang could tell some part of him didn't agree with what he had said. After a few moments of silence between the three, Gohan and Trunks lifted slowly into the air, but this time they gestured for Yang to follow. "Come on, I know you don't want to hang around here. Let's go."

Wordlessly, she nodded raising into the air and joining Gohan at his side. She took one last look at the town before taking off with the two half-Saiyans as they sped across the land. The truth of Gohan's words rang inside her head. Remnant may have the Grimm hunting humanity to extinction, but at least they had a way to fight back. Here though? On Earth? Human's were weak and fragile and the androids had taken advantage of that, slaughtering each one like cattle.

It made her sick to her very core.

It didn't take long to reach West City. The moment the three flew into its borders, Yang's mood instantly lightened. Unlike Ginger Town, she could feel millions of energy signatures going about their daily business down below. The city was thriving more so than any kingdom Yang had ever seen. It brought a small tear of happiness to her eyes as she witnessed children playing in the streets along with various adults working and supervising them. Clearly, the Android menace was now just a distant memory for most of these people. The scars will remain, but time heals all wounds.

"Woah!" Yang exclaimed as she examined the sheer size of the city. It was definitely bigger than Vale that was for sure. It looked as though there were buildings that stretched for miles on end. She couldn't believe how big this place was! She couldn't believe that there didn't even seem to be any kind of perimeter set up around the borders of the city. Yang had to remind herself that Grimm didn't exist on this planet and thus, there was no need to even sweat a monster invasion of any kind. "This place is huge!"

"It used to be smaller," Trunks explained with a light chuckle. "After the androids, we had to accommodate a lot of refugees so everyone pulled all their resources together and helped rebuild the city. We expanded and covered a fair amount of land in the process."

"I'll say!" Gohan responded in shock. "I don't ever recall West City being even a fourth this size! I guess that makes up for the all the destroyed suburbs and towns out in the country. It's a shame, but at least people feel safe here. What about the other regional cities? How are they holding up?" the son of Goku asked. Trunks merely smiled at the question, knowing the progress of the other cities, while not as big as West City, had also grown to accommodate the growing refugees.

"North City did a bit of expanding, but not nearly as much as South and East city. West City has had the most expansion due to the resources and help Capsule Corporation has invested. My mother is a very busy woman nowadays. We've been investing and researching technology to help us fight against any threats like the androids in the future. Mankind vowed never to be bested by such an evil force again."

"Hm," Gohan mumbled in thought. "I just hope that doesn't end in another madman trying to create killing machines again."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Trunks retorted quickly. "Mother is overseeing a lot of the development. Nothing is going to slip past her unnoticed. Speaking of which, we're here!" he exclaimed in excitement. Up ahead, a large yellow dome with various windows and large bold letters reading 'CAPSULE CORP' came into view. Gohan let out a laugh as the three descended on the large oversized home. Gohan had fond memories of this place. It was a shame that before he ended up on Remnant, his last memory of this place was it lying in ruin and serving as a refugee bunker. However, now it was looking as pristine as ever.

"Glad to see some things never change!" Gohan laughed as the three landed on the front lawn. "It's good to see this place looking as sharp as ever!" he smirked as he turned to Yang. "Welcome to _my_ home away from home."

"This is a house!?" Yang blurted out in surprise. Trunks simply laughed at her reaction.

"Yeah. My mom is the president of the Capsule Corporation, the most technologically advanced company on the planet. I guess you could imagine the kind of wealth that comes with. This is our home but it also serves as the Headquarters for the company. Come on!" Trunks gestured for the two to follow. Gohan didn't even open his mouth to say anything while Yang just followed wordlessly, her eyes still roaming the giant house. She had seen Weiss's family mansion. That place didn't hold a candle to this mega-sized structure!

As the three walked into the house, they passed through various different rooms, Yang's focus never once wavering. She took in every room she passed through noting just how different everything was compared to the interior structures back in Remnant. It was quite easy to tell that this place had technology that surpassed Remnant's capabilities. Perhaps maybe not so much Atlas, but the rest of Remnant for sure. They continued on through the building, going towards the top floors where it became less business orientated and more… homey.

"Hey, mom! I'm home! If it's alright with you, I brought some guests with me."

"Oh!?" A voice called out from the living room. Popping her head around the corner was a fairly small woman with blue hair. She seemed to be slightly shorter than Yang. Her hair was cut short and she was sporting a red scarf, white shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. To Yang, the woman looked like she was in her late twenties! However, from what Gohan had told her, she had been around long before he was born. Actually, from what she recalled, Gohan had mentioned that Bulma should have been around his father's age.

Upon seeing Gohan, Bulma had frozen, her eyes going wide.

"G-Gohan?" she smiled, rushing over and enveloping the young half-Saiyan in a crushing hug. Surprisingly she managed to hold back her tears rather well, considering that she had always considered Gohan like a second son to her. He did spend a lot of time around her growing up and especially after the androids attacked. He had been training Trunks in preparation to fight the monsters with him, something she didn't exactly approve of. However, he had convinced her that he was going to need Trunks' strength at his side if he had any hope of beating them.

Although, this was before he discovered the Room of Spirit and Time.

"You haven't aged a day!" Bulma exclaimed while Gohan just laughed.

"I could say the same for you," he gave the blue-haired woman a cheeky smile. Bulma pouted as she pushed him away and laughed.

"I had my doubts that you were even alive but Goku's surprise visit with Ruby gave me hope. They both told me you were okay and that you were fighting a very important battle on a different planet," Bulma recalled, a frown crossing her face. "I still haven't figured out how Dr. Gero had managed to build in a failsafe to his work to teleport you away like that. It's bizarre how he managed to achieve that. I've been looking into it and haven't come up with any logical explanation."

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out someday. Anyway, this is Yang," Gohan gestured to the silent blonde next to him. "She's Ruby's sister."

"You're her sister?" Bulma replied with surprise clear in her eyes. The older woman's eyes traced over the blonde's form as if she were comparing the two in her head. Yang suddenly felt rather self-conscious as Bulma's analytic eyes traced over her entire form.

"Weird, I never would have picked you two to be siblings. Different heights, complexion, and hair color. Do you share the same parents?" she asked seriously. Yang took a step back as the woman had almost invaded her personal space. Trunks and Gohan shared a knowing smile, both of them knowing that Bulma's inner scientist demanded she know the answers.

"Er… different moms," Yang explained quickly. Bulma leaned back, nodding her head in acceptance.

"That makes sense," Bulma said as she turned and walked into the kitchen. "Would you guys like any food? I always have extra food to feed Trunks' massive appetite. I'm sure I have enough for you two. It's almost lunch time anyways!" she finished. The mere mention of food had Gohan and Trunks' stomachs growling. The monstrous sound had overshadowed Yang's own desire for food. She hadn't eaten in what felt like weeks!

"Sure!" Gohan called out. Trunks mirrored his master's agreement as the two headed into the living room to catch up in more depth. Yang was left standing at the door feeling rather intrusive. She wasn't quite sure what to do and she wanted to give Trunks and Gohan time alone. She knew their relationship was much deeper than she actually realized, so she should probably give them some space. Instead, an idea popped into her head as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Would you like some help? I'm not terribly great at cooking, but I've seen the way Gohan eats," Yang asked the outgoing scientist. She turned and gave Yang a beaming smile.

"Aw, how nice of you! I won't deny help when it's offered. Here, let me show you how everything works!" Bulma replied with a friendly grin. The two females spent the next couple of minutes around the kitchen, the older woman showing the younger one how all the strange technology worked. Needless to say, Yang picked it up rather quickly. Her dad was a pretty fantastic cook himself and she picked up a few tricks from him over the years, so she wasn't completely clueless as to how to put a dish together. She did have fond memories of baking with Summer when she was a kid.

It wasn't long before Gohan and Trunks had vacated the room and ventured out into the back garden to do some sparring. Bulma and Yang could hear the two trading light-hearted friendly blows from the room they were in. A small peak outside showed Trunks in his Super Saiyan form, battling against Gohan who had yet to transform. However, it seemed that he didn't need to, as he was holding his own against the seemingly older looking half-Saiyan. Just watching the two, Yang could tell that their relationship was almost like a father and son's, master and student.

"When Gohan disappeared, Trunks was heartbroken," Bulma commented rather sadly. Yang turned her head to face the wise scientist. She had a bitter smile on her face as she recalled the memories almost buried by time. "Trunks grew up without his father. I'm not sure if Gohan has told you, but his father was Vegeta," the Earthling genius stated, gesturing towards a picture that sat on one of the living room shelves. In the frame, Bulma held a small baby, clearly Trunks and next to her, with his back turned, was a man in a training suit. Yang could barely make out the scowl on his face.

"He did…" Yang replied softly. "Although he didn't have that many things to say about him, other than he was an excellent fighter almost without equal."

"Well, they didn't have the best relationship," Bulma explained. "In fact, Vegeta wasn't at all fond of Gohan. Well, to be honest, Vegeta wasn't fond of _anyone_. If he wasn't spending time with me, he was training… which was all the time," she chuckled. Yang wasn't sure if she found the humor in that statement. It sounded like a lonely, one-sided relationship. However, she didn't speak her mind, for fear of offending the kind-hearted woman. There was definitely more to this 'Vegeta' character than she was letting on.

"Anyway, Gohan was around a lot during Trunks' childhood. The two started training together and ever since then, Gohan's been like a father to Trunks. I don't think he'll ever forget that, despite the fact that Trunks is physically older than Gohan now," Bulma momentarily stopped what she was doing and turned to Yang with a questionable look on her face. "Come to think of it, do you know why that is? Gohan looks like he's seventeen when he should be around thirty years old."

Yang had to suppress a shudder. The idea that technically, she was dating someone twice her age didn't actually sit well with her.

"I'm not sure. I think it had something to do with our Headmaster, Ozpin. I recall him telling us about some kind of suspension chamber? I don't know the specifics but Gohan was in a coma for quite some time. He only really woke up sometime about a year ago," Yang replied, before suddenly chuckling lightly. "Wow… it's been a year. Time sure does fly."

Yang and Bulma descended into idle chatter while they prepared what could have been easily mistaken as a feast. The two shared stories relative to their own world. Bulma recounted the many adventures she had with Goku, fascinating Yang with the tales and escapades of herself, Yamcha, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Goku. Yang decided to share her limited adventures with team RWBY. While not as crazy and out of this world as Bulma's, the scientist was fascinated by her world's technology and general customs. Granted, Bulma did have a bit of a fit when Yang told her how Remnant communicates with each other, via the CCT Towers.

The blue haired genius practically talked Yang's ears off with all the flaws and idiotic choices the leaders of her world had made and how it was practically asking for terrorists to destroy those towers. However, despite all of this, they continued to laugh and share more stories with each other until the food was prepared.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Yang felt right at home.

=/=

* * *

=/=

Deep in the void of the Room of Spirit and Time, two siblings stood off against each other.

The Branwen siblings were covered head to toe in blood and sweat. From the get-go, they had launched into their training without so much as hesitating. The only sense of time in this hellish place was the sand in the hourglasses that stood either side of the temple. The sand would trickle down at an agonizingly slow pace but it was the only thing that allowed both Raven and Qrow to monitor how long they had been in the chamber. Easily, it had been about eight months since they had come in and so far, they had yet to even come close to rivaling the power Cell had. It was quickly dawning on them that when the time came to fight Cell, they would only be there for support.

However, that wasn't to say that they were at all upset with their mind-numbingly large jump in power. They were leagues stronger than when they had entered the chamber and neither of them were angry at the progress they had made. It was only a matter of months now before their time was up and they would have to exit the chamber, which frankly was looking more appealing to them than they actually realized. The warnings hadn't been spoken lightly. Both Branwen's felt like this place was starting to get to them.

"How long have we been at it for?" Qrow asked, his breathing heavily labored. His hair had grown out, and he was sporting a bit more facial hair. He had given up on cutting it a while ago, considering using his energy to shave was starting to get a little bit risky. Raven, however, had cut her hair quite short, to the point where she was almost sporting the same kind of hairstyle as Ruby. The large mass of hair on her back had become frustratingly difficult to keep under control with the conditions of the chamber bearing down on her, not to mention how often Qrow took advantage of it and constantly made a point to pull it when he had the chance.

"A few hours?" Raven puffed as she wracked her brain trying to nail down a point of time. "A day? I don't know. There's no sun or moon here. It's rather hard to actually tell how long we've been out here," she retorted. The two were dressed in the battle suits that had been given to them. Both of them were surprisingly durable but Raven was glad she had brought a few spares in with them. After at least two months of training, the battle suits would be unusable due to the damage they had taken.

"We should head back and get some rest. Any longer out here and I feel like I'll puke my lungs out. This gravity is killing me," Qrow exaggerated. Raven merely nodded, not having the strength or energy in her to refute his suggestion. Without another word, the two headed back to the temple. It was long out of sight from where they had been training. Although, it only took them a few minutes to get back. It had been the right call. They barely had enough energy to stand in the harsher than normal gravity beyond the first few steps.

Once they had gotten back, they immediately entered recovery mode. Raven headed straight for the lavatory to wash up while Qrow went to find some food. It was a short time later when the two were sitting at the table, with Qrow having washed up as well dressed in a towel. Unsurprisingly, so was Raven. The two sat in relative silence as they consumed the hot beverage that Qrow had made for the both of them. The time they had spent together had forced them to confront their conflicting ideals. It hadn't been a pretty sight.

The first few months of training were met with anger, disgust, and general loathing of each other. Qrow had constantly criticized her for leaving the team, effectively abandoning him, Summer, and Taiyang to return to a life of foolish ideals. She didn't have much to fire back with, other than criticizing her younger brother for blindly following Ozpin, a man who had on more than one occasion, lied to them about the truths of the world. While they had previously put aside their differences to confront Cell, they had reared their ugly heads during the earlier days of their time in the chamber.

"What do you plan on doing when this is all over?" Qrow asked, breaking the silence. Raven set her cup down on the table and glared absently at the mug between her hands. She hadn't really thought of it. She knew she had to make up for lost time with her daughter. She owed it to her after Yang had almost beaten the life out of her. Yang wanted her in her life and some part of Raven absolutely loved that. It gave her hope that there was still time to mend the relationship she had with her daughter, despite how fractured it was… but how could she just leave her old life behind like that?

What about the Tribe? The people who had raised her? It didn't feel right to just turn her back on them like that.

"I don't know," Raven replied honestly. "I guess I'll abandon my old ideals and try and spend time with Yang. I-" she cut herself off when she thought more about what the Tribe could actually do to her now. They effectively fashioned her as a goddess after she learned how to control her energy. Everyone she cared about now, mainly Yang, was either stronger than her or were more than capable of handling themselves. So… what exactly could the Tribe do to her now? Before they had some kind of hold over her. Yang had been vulnerable and she was sure Taiyang, as talented a huntsman he was, couldn't fend off hundreds of bandits by himself.

"I've made mistakes, Qrow. You of all people should know that I'm a stubborn person."

"Of course," he drawled. "Yang gets it from somewhere and it certainly isn't from Tai."

Raven didn't quip back like she usually did which left the two in a rather awkward silence. Qrow got up after a few minutes of silence and walked over to the kitchen to make himself some more food. Raven sat quietly in her seat, staring at her hot chocolate that had probably gone cold by now. She hadn't seen anyone except Qrow for months now. It was starting to drive her up the wall. While this time had finally allowed her to reconnect with her brother and sort out all their buried issues with one another, she felt the need to see Yang again.

"Do you think we should leave early?" Raven spoke up suddenly, causing Qrow to turn from where he was standing. "We've hit a bit of a wall these last couple of weeks. I haven't noticed any notable improvements in our energy levels. We've multiplied our power several times over since we've come in here. I'll be honest in saying I don't think I can take much more of being in here," Raven admitted. Qrow hummed to himself as he mulled over her words for a few moments. She did have a point. They had hit a metaphorical ceiling and their power increase had slowed to a crawl.

"We've only got four months left before we're due to exit. If you want to leave early, I have no qualms about doing so. No amount of training in the next four months is going to close the gap between us and Cell. As of right now, both of us could probably have challenged his first form. Perhaps maybe even held out against his second and that's with us working together. The others have a more likely chance of closing that gap. They've caught up to us in power in a single _year_ when it took us years to get where we were," Qrow ranted as he turned around and leaned against the kitchen counter. Raven ran a hand through her shortly cut hair.

"We'll stay a bit longer. If we see little improvement over the next month or so, then we should leave early, give the others more time to train… and perhaps give them a proper warning of what really awaits them in here. I know Cinder will be itching to jump in here the moment we leave," Raven replied as she downed the rest of her drink which was now lukewarm. Qrow chuckled bitterly at the mention of Cinder's name. That girl had done some changing since he spared her life. She seemed to have grown quite attached to Pyrrha, which honestly surprised him. The two seemed like complete opposites.

"Cinder…" Qrow muttered sourly. "You told me you found her at a shady Inn on the outskirts of Mistral after Vale fell. Kinda funny considering I'm the one who spared her life. I wonder what she will do after Cell, assuming we're all still alive by the end of it," he finished as he returned to the table. Raven leaned back in her chair and sighed. Her thoughts drifted back to the time when she found Cinder, broken and bitter. Nothing lay ahead of that girl aside from a life of mediocrity and senseless violence. She had power and Raven had only given her direction. It was interesting she had developed such a close bond with Pyrrha Nikos of all people.

"I wanted her power for my Tribe. She would have been a valuable asset to use against Cell."

"We both know that wasn't going to happen. Cinder was a loose cannon and the only reason she served Salem was because she was afraid of her and she promised her power."

"Which is exactly what I imposed upon her when we first met," Raven shot back. Qrow gave her a rather distasteful look, causing Raven to just brush it off.

"You really fell off the deep end when you ran from us, didn't you?" Qrow snarked. Raven held her tongue, despite wanting so desperately to lash out at her younger brother but he had a nasty habit of being right on the occasions that they talked. "You're strong, I get that. We're all strong. Heck, we're stronger than we've ever been. We might as well be Gods to the people of Remnant now with the power we've managed to obtain. However, that doesn't give us the right to lord over them like they are peasants, or abuse the power we have."

"So I'm told," Raven quickly snapped. "Both Gohan had Yang have made that abundantly clear. While I have used this power to take what I wanted in the past, I suppose those times are better left forgotten and buried. If I am to start anew with my daughter, I need to get her to trust me… like she would with Summer or Tai."

"Trust is a two-way street."

"Don't lecture me like I'm some child."

"Yeah? Well, you act like it sometimes."

"You arrogant little-" Raven stood up, glaring at her brother from across the table before she managed to reign in her raging emotions. Qrow was unfazed and rose an eyebrow at her little outburst. Slowly, she sat back down and took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Look. What's done, is done. There is no changing the past. We both know this better than anyone. I want to have a relationship with my daughter and I don't even know where to start. What I'm trying to ask… is if you will _help_ me in doing so," Raven forced the words out her mouth, looking incredibly uncomfortable as she did. Qrow chuckled slightly, causing Raven to turn red with anger.

However, before she could explode on him, he lazily raised a hand to stop her from doing so.

"After we deal with Cell? Sure. We should keep our focus on the task at hand though. Can't have a relationship with your daughter if we're all dead," Qrow replied with a smile on his face. "After all, it's not like I'm going to say no, am I? We _are_ family, right?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So this chapter was basically the wind down from the climax of the first Perfect Cell encounter. Nothing much happening here other than the reuniting with some old friends on Gohan's side like Piccolo and Trunks. Yes, I'll be using the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and only certain pairs will be using it at a time.**

 **Shout out to my editor Doomguy914 again for writing that scene where Yang watches the camera recording.**

 **I do plan on the RWBY cast exploring the world and learning more about Gohan's home.**

 **Cya guys on the next update.**


	25. Those we Cherish

**A/N:**

 **Hello everyone still sticking around to read!**

 **It's been quite some time since I last got around to updating any of my stories. The only reason being is my job. It's getting closer to Christmas so shifts have been opening up and I need the money. Got to get that daily grind. Those of you who have/had jobs know what I'm talking about. I almost wish I was sixteen or fifteen again when I didn't have to work, haha.**

 **That being said, since I'm working more, updates will probably come even slower than before. I'll be real here. I have bills to pay and health to take care of, so my job, as much as I hate it, takes full priority. A couple of you guys and even some of my friends recommended I start Pat re on (I have to space out the words to even be allowed to say it? What the fuck fanfiction?), in order to do this full time. The legality of it isn't really an issue because people would be donating to me to support my passion for writing, not 'what' I write, per-say.**

 **However, as much as I would LOVE to dedicate all my time to writing and cranking out entertaining stories for you guys, I don't think that right now, writing full-time whilst having a is realistic (wouldn't generate enough income to sustain myself). Besides, given my current skill level, It doesn't really feel right. Not until I start releasing my original content. I don't even know how many of you would even consider me good enough to donate money to.**

 **Regardless, Pat re on is awhile down the road, alongside a plethora of other content I have planned out for the years to come. I've been exploring other fandoms as well as developing my own original story, which is inspired by RWBY.**

 **That's all to really say at the moment, and I hope you guys enjoy this update.**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Five: Those we Cherish_

Most of the day had come and gone in the blink of an eye.

Cinder, Weiss, Pyrrha, Ruby, and Blake all sat quietly as they waited for Raven and Qrow to exit the chamber. Piccolo meditated near the edge of the Lookout while Kami and Mr. Popo oversaw the beginning stages of Jaune, Nora, and Ren's training. While they completely understood that they would not be going to fight Cell with their comrades, they were determined not to be left too far behind by their friends in terms of power. Pyrrha watched them with a proud smile on her face.

Ruby and Weiss decided to make up for lost time and catch up, exchanging stories about what had happened to them since the fall of Beacon. Weiss was fascinated with what awaited them in the afterlife. It sounded like some kind of fever dream that a child would come up with on some heavy drugs. Giant multi-colored ogres in suits and yellow clouds that tasted like chocolate chip cookies? It was hard to believe. Ruby, on the other hand, was astounded by all that Weiss had gone through. Magical Fall Maiden powers and training with her uncle? Under normal circumstances, the younger girl would have been jealous, and the fact that she wasn't showed exactly how ridiculous things had gotten recently.

So much had happened since the days of simply going to classes and doing school work. They chuckled at how insane their lives had become over the past year. Ruby died and came back to life! Not many people could claim that had happened to them.

Cinder just sat in silence, rarely meeting the eyes of anyone aside from Pyrrha. It didn't take a genius to figure out why she was still so wary of everyone and vice-versa, so she mainly tried to keep to herself.

Blake opted to meditate in order to organize her newly acquired knowledge. She still had years of new memories and information to sort out and examine, and it was definitely going to take her awhile. Since she still had the Ring of Creation on her finger, she opted to try and sort through the memories that detailed exactly what this Relic was capable of doing. She would experiment further with its potential inside the Room of Spirit and Time. Whatever it could do, no matter how small, could be beneficial in the upcoming battle with Cell.

Suddenly, two familiar power levels appeared on the Lookout, causing everyone present to gaze toward the entrance to the temple. Wordlessly, Cinder stood up, followed by Piccolo, Pyrrha, and Blake. Their eyes widened when they realized who the powers belonged to. Such a drastic increase in energy was ludicrous! Just how much was it? Fiftyfold? A hundred? Whatever the Branwen siblings had managed to do inside that chamber produced some serious results.

"I don't believe it," Cinder murmured in disbelief. Piccolo smirked.

"Well, I'll be… I guess those two really did give it their all. It seems these Humans from Remnant truly are natural born fighters," the Namekian quipped in amusement.

Walking out into the open, both Raven and Qrow stood tall, their battle suits torn and their features more defined. Qrow was sporting a small beard, while Raven's hair had defied logic and gotten even _longer_. Raven carried her sword and sheath in her left hand, the Dust cartridges all but spent, leaving her with only her Crimson blade. Qrow's weapon had scorch marks and scratches all over it. The two looked healthier than ever before.

"I wasn't expecting you guys to be here when we got out," Qrow chuckled lightly. "I guess it really has only been a day. How surreal..."

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby shot toward him and enveloped the older man in a hug. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around his recently resurrected niece. Things had been so hectic lately that no one had really gotten the chance to relax. Granted, now was probably not the time to relax given that they were on the clock to train and make nearly incomprehensible gains in power before going back to face Cell. However, the past year had been tough on everyone present, and no one would complain should they want to rest awhile and forget about all the danger.

"Hey, kid. How's it going?" Qrow smirked. Ruby separated from him and gave him a beaming smile.

"Good! I guess? We were all just waiting for you guys to come out of the chamber," Ruby explained as she gestured to everyone staring at the two Branwen siblings. "How was it? What was it like? You guys feel so much stronger! It's almost like you're totally different people!" she finished with amazement shining through her silver eyes. Raven scoffed slightly and turned away. She couldn't sense Yang anywhere close by. It was a shame. She did have the slight desire to request a rematch with her daughter after the beating she received not too long ago.

"It hasn't been a full day yet," Cinder spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Why did you not use the whole year?" she questioned. Qrow sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. He opened his mouth to respond to the half-Maiden but was cut off quickly by his older sister.

"That chamber takes its toll after a while," Raven started. "It gets to you, makes you see things that aren't really there, and to top it off, the conditions change more rapidly and are far more brutal than you could ever imagine. I won't lie, there were moments Qrow and I almost died in there. If we didn't have each other, we wouldn't be talking to you now. That place is dangerous, but it produces the results we desired," she explained, a hint of warning to her tone. Cinder scowled, refusing to believe that a magic room could be so dangerous.

She would just have to see this chamber for herself.

"Raven is correct," the voice of Kami confirmed from a few paces behind the Branwen siblings. Walking out of the temple followed closely by Mr. Popo was the green guardian himself. Piccolo regarded the man briefly before returning to his meditation. "You'd be wise to listen to her warnings. If you are not prepared, the Room of Spirit and Time will overwhelm you, and you'll be lost for all eternity. If at any point you feel in over your head, I'd advise that you exit the chamber."

"Thanks for warning us, again," Blake said sincerely. "I'm not trying to sound inconsiderate, but if we don't get stronger then everything we know and love will be destroyed. We can't afford to show weakness or submit to it. There's nowhere to run or hide from someone like Cell," the faunus guardian stated seriously. Kami turned to her, a small look of understanding crossing his features. He closed his eyes, before allowing a smile to grace his face.

"You are all strong. I can sense that. It is because of that strength that I allow you to even use the Chamber at all. If you were too weak, I would have been vehemently against the idea," Kami stated, causing a few frowns to break out among the group. Pyrrha noted that Cinder was starting to get impatient. It was a good thing that Mr. Popo decided to step forward.

"The Chamber has been prepared for the next pair. It is up to you who will go next."

Once again, there was a small silence as the group exchanged looks. Finally, after a few moments, Cinder stepped forward, a look of determination spread across her features. Pyrrha swallowed slightly and followed cautiously behind her. While the crimson-headed huntress knew she wasn't really in any danger going into the chamber with Cinder, there was a part of her that just couldn't _fathom_ what she was about to do.

Their trip to Mistral had been infuriating enough and that had only been a few days.

How was she supposed to tolerate this girl for an entire _year_?

"We will go," Cinder declared, taking a small glance back at Pyrrha. The emerald eyed teen nodded confidently in response. There was a moment of silent acknowledgment as Mr. Popo gestured to the two girls to follow him. Pyrrha spared a look at her friends and team. Jaune, Ren, and Nora had all taken the time out of their training to wave as she walked into the temple. Weiss and Blake gave Pyrrha a friendly nod of encouragement while Ruby also waved, sporting a beaming smile.

As the two girls approached the Room of Spirit and Time, they began to feel a sense of dread forming in the pit of their stomachs. They walked in silence until they got to the wooden door that separated the two dimensions. They could sense that something was off about this door. Something completely magical and unknown. It was chilling, Pyrrha even noted that Cinder had started to sweat a little.

"I needn't repeat what you already know," Mr. Popo stated as he reached for the knob and slowly opened the door. The two girls were greeted by a blinding white light before it faded away to reveal a white void. "Once you are inside and the door is closed, your time begins. I wish you the best of luck."

For a few seconds, Pyrrha and Cinder stood outside the door, peering inside at what could only be described as some form of blank Hell. There were no signs of life. Nothing at all.

Just a blank… white… void.

The truth of Raven's words echoed in their minds.

Surprisingly, Pyrrha was the first one to take a step forward into the Chamber. Pushing down her fear, Cinder followed, and before they knew it the door had shut behind them. It took them a few moments to realize what just transpired. The moment the door clicked shut, the air became thick, and a weight pushed down on them, of which they had never experienced.

"I-I can barely breath," Cinder said clutching her chest. Pyrrha grunted as she stood tall, allowing her energy to aid her. She powered up slightly, the burden of the Chamber easing off. Cinder quickly saw what her partner was doing and followed her example. Instantly the weight became more bearable, but the air didn't get any less thick. Raven and Qrow had spent almost an entire year in this place. Surely their bodies must have adjusted to the conditions after a while.

The two explored their living quarters. Mr. Popo had been kind enough to place multiple spare battle suits in one of the rooms, should their clothes become ruined while they trained. They had enough food to last them a year and maybe a few extra weeks. Thankfully there were two beds, but they were situated close to each other. The two weren't exactly happy about that, but it certainly wasn't something to fuss over. Not when they had work to do.

They walked out in front of the temple and were greeted by an incredible sight.

"What kind of place is this?" Cinder all but breathed. "There's… nothing here!"

"It's endless…" Pyrrha gasped lightly. "I can't see where it ends, or even where it begins! We're in the middle of a… a… void!"

Cinder made the unfortunate mistake of stepping off the temple and onto the white ground that spread all around them. She gasped, drawing Pyrrha's attention as she folded, falling to her knees as the gravitational forces intensified. Sweat poured off her face and she groaned as her muscles screamed at her.

"Cinder!" Pyrrha called out in concern. Following her friend off the temple steps, Pyrrha too felt the gravity increase and almost lost her balance, knees bent as she struggled against the force. Cinder powered up even more, pushing herself to her feet. After a few moments of using their ki to reinforce themselves, the gravity once again became bearable.

The fruits of training here against each other, while also fighting against these tremendous forces would prove to be quite the challenge. No wonder Raven and Qrow had exited with such a stunning increase in energy.

While still nowhere close to what Cell had attained, it gave everyone hope that this might give them a chance to beat the godlike Android.

"This gravity…" Pyrrha murmured. "Even at this level of strength, It's going to make fighting difficult."

"Our bodies will adjust, given time," Cinder retorted quickly, straightening herself out and cracking her neck for good measure. "And we have plenty of it. Based on the results we saw from Qrow and Raven, our power can skyrocket here. Just think of the potential! I can discover more secrets about the Maiden powers intertwined with that of Ki," the older woman said with a hungry tone.

Pyrrha eyed her carefully. The ember-dressed girl did not miss the redhead's careful gaze.

"Of course," the scarlet-haired teen replied. "An opportunity like this cannot be squandered. With a foe like Cell threatening everyone on Remnant, we can't let this advantage go to waste," Pyrrha stated with conviction. Cinder resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The girl and her heroic bleeding heart. Always going on about the defenseless ignorant populace. It made her stomach churn.

"I don't much care for the people of Remnant. I'd sooner watch them burn than stick my neck out for them," Cinder quipped back arrogantly. Pyrrha raised her eyebrows while crossing her arms. Actions spoke louder than words, and if what Pyrrha saw was true, which it was, then Cinder was merely trying to convince herself of that reality.

"You say that, but you sped to Yang's aid when she almost fell into lava after fighting with Freeza. Not only that, but you protected both her and Weiss when we saw that Freeza hadn't died," Pyrrha challenged. The corner of Cinder's mouth twitched as the memory replayed through her mind. "It may be small, but you've changed more than you'd like to admit."

"You don't know anything about me."

"No, but I'm starting to," Pyrrha shot back quickly, a smirk on her face. Cinder growled at the greek-themed warrior's smug look. "If I'm going to be stuck with you for an entire year in this place, I'd at least like you to open up a bit so we could get to know each other. Otherwise, things are going to get dismal around here fast."

"This is training, not a… a… a date!" Cinder hissed back furiously. "I will do no such thing. Now, are we going to start, or what? We have a year and I want to make good use of it."

"Sure, we can start. We might as well begin by catching you up on what you don't know."

"What's that?"

"You know what I'm referring to," Pyrrha stated plainly. "I only taught you the basics of energy manipulation. You can fly, discharge energy blasts and increase your base level of strength. I only did what Raven asked me to do because my team was being threatened by her," Pyrrha explained. Cinder wasn't quite sure where she was going with this. What else was there to this power? While the means of achieving it was bizarre, it was rather easy to bring out after receiving the right direction and pointers.

"So? What's your point?"

"There's a lot more to this power than just brute strength. When I trained with Gohan, there was a certain amount of discipline and mental strengthening we did. Techniques and other abilities that you can use to bolster your power and increase your overall strength as a fighter. On the surface, it might just seem like we've only increased our raw destructive power, but it goes beyond that," the redhead once again explained. Cinder narrowed her eyes at arguably, the only person she could call a friend.

"So there are things you've deliberately neglected to teach me. Why exactly are we going to be doing this now?" Cinder questioned. Pyrrha rolled her eyes.

"The stakes have changed. If we are going to get stronger… no offense, but I need to bring you up to my level of power. What you have now… it's barely enough to survive. Trust me I've been there," Pyrrha swallowed nervously as Cinder's glare intensified. "But, that shouldn't take too long in a place like this! That is, if you're willing to cooperate and lighten up. There is an element of calmness and peace to this sort of training. But I'll be frank; as it is now, your attitude won't help. It's why I asked you to open up."

"Your methods sound sickening," Cinder snarled. "If you're going to waste my time, I'll be doing my own training."

"We have an entire year to get stronger!" Pyrrha stated angrily, causing Cinder to flinch slightly. "I wouldn't be suggesting it, if it was going to be a waste of time! You may not have people you care about on Remnant, but I do! So are we going to stand around arguing, or are we going to come to some kind of agreement here?" The half-Maiden had to admit, it was rather amusing to see the famed Pyrrha Nikos lose her cool like that, but the girl had a point.

They had an entire year to get stronger, and despite their astounding progress in the past, Cell might as well be on another plane of existence to them. His 'Perfect Evolution' had set the bar impossibly high, and it was going to take an exceptional amount of effort to even get within sight of that challenge. That was a task no normal human being could achieve alone. Begrudgingly, Cinder sighed in defeat.

"Alright, _Pyrrha_ ," Cinder mumbled, a softer, more vulnerable tone to her voice. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

The redhead smiled happily in response.

"Thank you. I know just where to start."

=/=

* * *

=/=

There wasn't a single cloud in sight.

Nothing but the warm rays of the sun shone down on her face as she quietly lay on the edge of the Lookout. She had since slipped away from her friends after constant talking and catching up. She needed some time to gather her thoughts and to reflect on the past, present, and future.

Ruby Rose lay with her eyes closed, allowing the gentle breeze to mess with her hair and the loose bits of clothing she had on.

She tried to relax her face into a smile, something she was very familiar with doing for so many years, but alas… she could not seem to remember how. Instead, her expression was resting passively, without a smile or frown as her mind wandered the fields of her subconscious. The warmth of the sun and the quietness of her environment allowed her to reach a state of mind that Piccolo had taught her how to achieve.

To master one's emotions and remain completely contained at every moment.

There was a figure in her mind, a bright silhouette with a familiar outline. Soft fabric fluttered in an invisible breeze, the stark white of its cloak, calm and endless. Ruby knew who was occupying her mind. She was well aware of the consequences of her failure… if she could even call it that. Did she fail when she hadn't even been given the chance to try? It had all happened so quickly, just like the last year of her life.

Despite being trained in the afterlife, nothing about her had changed all the much. She had still looked and talked the same. It seemed being dead didn't age your body at all. It was only now, in the Room of Spirit and Time, that her body started to grow and truly reflect the results of her intense training.

While she was sixteen years old mentally, her body still functioned like a fifteen-year-old. From the outside looking in, it was as if Ruby Rose had been forgotten by the tides of time. It was so unnerving how everything had changed around her. She looked at her team and couldn't help but feel pride and happiness for how far they had come and how much they had grown. While they almost seemed like different people on the outside, despite the ordeals they had been through, they were still the same people she went to Beacon with almost a year ago.

" _Times change._ " Ruby thought somberly. " _And with it, people change too…_ "

It was a fact of life. Always moving forward was guaranteed to take her to new places… experience new things.

Ironically, having died was now a major part of her life. The lessons she had learned and the skills she had picked up were things she never could have imagined… yet, despite all the power she had acquired, she still couldn't save one of the people she cared most about in this life.

Summer Rose… her presumed dead mother.

In all honesty, Ruby had well and truly believed that the woman had died years ago. It still hurt to think about, but she had liked to think she had moved on and learned from the lessons left behind. She didn't have many memories of Summer at all. She remembered her love and warmth, almost like the sun. Ruby remembered her face and her voice… but any specific moments were lost to time. The real tragedy of losing one's mother at such a young age.

" _I had you back… despite all the odds, you were there,_ " Ruby thought. A flash of green and maniacal laughter had the girl cringing. Her fists tightened as she let out a depressed sigh. " _Then you were gone again._ "

The woman in her subconscious faded into a breeze of white rose petals, only to be replaced by a storm of violent energy as Cell appeared before her. She gazed at the monster without a shred of fear in her eyes. He wasn't really here, just a mirage inside of her head. A reminder of the bigger picture, the obstacle she had yet to overcome. This was a foe she could not triumph over without the aid of her team and friends. Even then, it seemed like a stretch.

"Jeez…" Ruby chuckled quietly to herself. "To think that a year ago, I was so worried about Roman Torchwick and the White Fang," the last part she finished, barely louder than a whisper. She shook her head in amusement, as if to scold herself for worrying about such small problems in the world. When people like Cell and Salem had existed. When every single life that breathed Remnant's air was in danger of being eradicated… and she was worried about some thief and a group of desperate terrorists. While still dangerous, they did not hold a candle to the _real_ threats.

Ruby opened her eyes to stare at the sapphire-colored sky, her silver eyes gleaming in the sunlight.

"Things were so much simpler when our job was to just kill some Grimm and kick bad guy butt," Ruby chuckled lightly. Memories of happier times flowed through her head like a peaceful river. Meeting Weiss and Blake, her first couple of classes at Beacon Academy. She remembered the struggles of her team fondly in those earlier days and it brought a smile to her face. She almost couldn't believe she was lamenting about all this like it happened an eternity ago. All of this stuff was only a year old at best.

Even so… life had changed so much, it might as well be a distant memory.

" _I wish things could be normal again,_ " Ruby thought somberly. " _I wish I could be back in that bunk bedroom arguing with Weiss about homework, playing video games with Yang, and trying to figure out what Blake was reading,_ " she finished closing her eyes again. For the moment, she was lost in her own memories, a somber smile on her face as she lamented the better times when the stakes of the entire world never rested on their shoulders.

"Ruby?" a voice called out to her. The scarlet-caped girl angled her head to the side to see Weiss and Blake approaching. The voice had come from Weiss obviously, given that she was the one walking in front of Blake.

"Oh hey, Weiss. Blake." Ruby smiled warmly. "What's up?"

"Looking for you, dolt," the snow-themed girl chided. "You've been over here a while. Is there something bothering you?"

"No," Ruby denied. "Not really. Just thought I'd… you know, take some time for myself and let my mind wander. It's rather easy to do that up here. This place is kinda awesome."

"Yeah," Blake responded with a small grin. "Gohan made a place similar to this back on Remnant. I get what you mean when you say it's peaceful up here. Easy to get your thoughts in line."

"Come on, Ruby," Weiss crossed her arms in a huff. "I'm your partner. You can tell us when something's bothering you. We both lived with you long enough to know when something is wrong," the maiden Schnee stated, gesturing to both her and Blake. The cat-faunus gave a slight nod in agreement. Ruby just groaned lightly to herself. She was never the greatest at hiding her displeasure around Weiss. Yang had older sister cheat codes and could see right through her, and Blake always picked up on it pretty quickly as well.

"I don't know guys," Ruby replied depressively. "It's…" she didn't really even know how to explain what she was feeling.

"That woman," Blake started, causing both Weiss and Ruby to turn to her. "Sorry…" she paused for a moment, looking down at Ruby apologetically. "She was your mother. I heard you call out to her when Cell had her. Are you… I never thought to ask. Everything happened so fast. Are you… okay?"

Ruby was silent for a few moments, allowing Weiss and Blake to share concerned looks. After a few more seconds of silence, Ruby let out an exasperated exhale.

"No, Blake. Truthfully I'm not okay," Ruby started. "I lived most of my life believing my mother had died on some important mission. I followed in her footsteps, determined to be better and not make the same mistakes. Then… when I finally find her after being told that she isn't dead, I lose her. _Again_."

It was like some kind of omnipresent being was dangling her happiness on a thread right in front of her, then when she reached for it, knowing that she could grab it, it would be yanked away from her at the last second. If she wasn't so composed and trained to keep her cool, she would have lost her mind when Cell absorbed her mother. All she was doing now was holding onto the hope that if they could kill Cell, then maybe there would be a chance they could save her mother.

"I always wanted to save the world, be the hero from those fairy tales… but I'm not sure if that's even possible now," Ruby admitted.

"Can't say any of us saw this coming after we dealt with Roman Torchwick at the docks. Everything just seemed to get out of hand very quickly… too much for my liking," Weiss stated with a small sigh. Blake cracked a weak smile as the memories flew by in her head, as if they were ancient now. It felt like a lifetime had passed since she had met Gohan and fought with Cell for the first time.

"No point stressing over the hand fate has dealt us," Blake chided light-heartedly. "We still have one more obstacle to overcome, and if we fail… well, I shouldn't need to spell it out for us now. We all know what's on the line," she finished, idly fidgeting with the ring on her finger. She had almost forgotten about it after having taken it from Salem. The Relic of Creation still hummed with power as it sat comfortably, wrapped around her ring finger.

Unfortunately, her idle musings didn't go unnoticed by her friends.

"I wasn't aware you got married while you were away, Blake," Weiss commented with a small grin. Blake turned and stared at her, as Ruby sat up, leaning over to look at her faunus teammate's hands. Sure enough, there was a ring there.

"Who's the lucky guy, Blake!?" Ruby giggled. The charcoal haired girl rolled her eyes.

"Wow, you guys are sooooo funny," Blake retorted dryly. "It's the ring of Creation; one of the relics Salem had. I haven't quite figured out how to use it yet," she explained, lifting up her hand, allowing her friends to get a better look at it. It was gold with obsidian jewels adorning it, but upon closer inspection, they could see a soft golden glow around it. There was an element of magic there that Weiss could feel subtly. Was there some kind of connection between the Maidens and the Relics?

"How did Salem use it?" Ruby asked. Blake shrugged nonchalantly.

"I don't know. I didn't arrive in time to see her use it," Blake turned to Weiss once again. "Did you see?"

"I did, though, I don't know if anything I say will help you figure out how it works," Weiss replied. The snow-themed girl then lifted one of her hands to her chin in thought. "But, if it's worth anything, she used it in conjunction with the Relic of Knowledge. From what it looked like, I guess she… um… channeled it? I'm not sure how to describe it?" the Schnee finished, shrugging. Blake turned back to the empty skies before the three of them and gazed out over the horizon in thought.

"Well, Salem didn't seem to have all that much time with it, so it can't be that difficult to figure out. Then again, she had lived for hundreds of years. Probably studied it or something," Blake sighed. Weiss and Ruby looked rather shocked at that revelation but choose to keep their thoughts to themselves. Salem was dead and gone now. No point stressing over unimportant facts.

Despite all the knowledge the guardian had gifted her, she still wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to use this Relic… wait.

She had done something to the Sword of Destruction, hadn't she? The memory flashed through her mind. The events were very recent so it was rather easy to recall. All she had done was raise her hand and will the relic away. She had been aiming to destroy it with her energy, but stopped when the sword vanished on its own… or did it?

Raising her hand slightly, Blake decided to test something. If it was this simple then…

Suddenly, materializing in her hand, was the latest copy of Ninjas of Love. Weiss and Ruby gasped at the feat Blake had just performed.

"Woah! You did it! That was easy," Ruby commented with a laugh. Weiss seemed to agree. "Wait, hold on… I recognize that book!" the younger girl exclaimed, predatory eyes looking like she was about to pounce.

" _ABSOLUTELY NOT!"_ Blake thought and violently launched it off the side of the Lookout in a panic, disintegrating it with a ki blast before her teammates had a chance to embarrass her further. Blake swallowed hard, a heavy blush crossing her face. " _Okay, note to self: NEVER try using this thing with people around until I can control it better…"_

"Hey!" Ruby complained, clearly miffed that she'd missed her opportunity. "No fair, I wanted to see!"

Weiss simply raised an eyebrow, staring dubiously at her teammate for a moment, but ultimately shrugging her shoulders and letting it go. Blake's business was hers alone, and judging from how embarrassed she seemed, whatever that book contained wasn't something the heiress was interested in.

Ruby, on the other hand, was still _very_ interested, much to Blake's dismay.

"What was it, I wanna know, tell me Blake, pleaseeeeee!" she implored the cat faunus, who honestly couldn't tell if she was doing this innocently or not.

"Not in a million years, Ruby!" she retorted, turning heel and practically bolting in the opposite direction. Unfortunately for Blake, the Lookout was a circle, and there was nowhere to hide. Ruby instantly followed, either very curious or very mischievous, which left Weiss on her own, staring amusedly at the chase now playing out before her.

" _These are my teammates…"_

 _=/=_

* * *

=/=

Later into the next day, Gohan and Yang said their goodbyes.

Taking to the sky, Yang made sure to follow Gohan as they headed south-east toward a mountainous forest district. Once again she was greeted by luscious landscapes and wildlife as they flew overhead. She couldn't help the bubbling sadness that formed inside her chest as they passed over a few abandoned towns along the way, showing the scars left by the Androids. How could a world endure such torment for so long? Her people lived in fear of the Grimm, these people lived in fear of mechanical gods capable of erasing them without a second thought. It was hardly a fair comparison.

As they flew over a mountain, Gohan slowed down as a small house came into view, surrounded by forestry and sat comfortably next to a peaceful river. It looked unharmed and untouched by the haunted chaos that plagued this land. It was circular in shape, akin to a dome. It shared similar characteristics to the other buildings Yang had seen with her time on this planet. Gohan slowed even further, coming to a stop in the air. He looked down at the house with a sad expression.

"This… this is your home, isn't it?" Yang voiced softly. Gohan merely nodded. The blonde floated closer to him and intertwined her hand with his. She could sense the energy of two individuals down there. She didn't know who they were, but she could guess that at least one of them was Gohan's mother. He didn't talk much about her during the time they'd known each other, but from what he did say, she knew he loved his mother deeply.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. Gohan let out a sigh as he looked down at the house with an expression of concern plastered across his features. If anything, he looked worried and unsure of himself, something that Yang wasn't used to seeing from him. He was a pillar of strength for her, he kept her afloat when Ruby had died. She had unwittingly anchored herself to him without really realizing it. Being around him made her feel… whole. As bizarre as it was to admit, she couldn't find anything but truth in that silent admission.

"It may not feel like it to me, but for my mother, it's been fourteen years since she last saw me. She didn't take father's passing very well. I can't imagine what she must have gone through when I never came home," Gohan explained sadly. That piece of information caused Yang to grimace, immediately understanding what he meant. She knew what it felt like to lose someone, the grief that you experience. However, what she couldn't imagine is dealing with that for almost fourteen years, even more than that considering when Gohan's father had originally died.

That being said, words were lost on Yang. She wasn't exactly sure how she could help remove the uneasiness Gohan was feeling.

"Well… it may not seem like much, but I am here for you if you need me," she said in passionate reassurance. To seal her commitment, she gave Gohan a small kiss on the cheek. He barely reacted to it, other than a small smile that managed to breakthrough onto his face. Yang's heart fluttered, seeing as that's all she was really trying to do.

"Thanks, Yang."

As he said that, he gently started to float down to the entrance of the house. The setting sun cast shadows of the two across the front lawn as they landed. A breeze flowed through the clearing, ruffing the trees along with the couple's clothes and hair. Gohan took a deep breath as he walked up to the door, while Yang hung back to watch. He lifted his hand to knock but hesitated slightly. He exhaled again as he forced his features to lighten. Without another moment wasted, he gently knocked on the wooden door.

After a few moments, the door opened to reveal a much older looking woman. She wore a pink and purple traditional dress and had her black hair down, almost to her hips. She had bags under her eyes and looked exhausted. However, the moment her eyes landed on the boy in front of her, her arms dropped loosely to her side, and a glassy expression came over her face. Gohan swallowed as he opened his mouth to talk, but found that no words came out.

"Is that you?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Is it really true? My baby boy is alive?" Chi-Chi slowly walked out of the house and embraced Gohan tightly. The teen returned the gesture without a second thought, his powerful embrace shocking the older, more fragile woman. It may not have been long for him, but at that moment, he reminded himself once more that his mother had been without him for a decade and a half. He couldn't imagine the kind of agony that she had been put through.

Both her husband and her son, gone from her life. I wasn't fair to her. It had never been fair to any of them.

"I'm home, Mom… I'm home," Gohan choked out. He could feel the wetness of his mother's tears stain his clothes as she buried her head into his shoulder.

"I knew it… I knew Goku wasn't lying. I always knew you were alive… somehow. I never believed you were truly gone. I couldn't let myself believe it," Chi-Chi sobbed uncontrollably into Gohan's shoulder. Gohan recalled his father mentioning that he had spent time with his mother before saving him and his friends from Cell. Still, a part of him detested his father for not finishing Cell while he had the chance, but Gohan knew why Goku had done it. This was not a fight his father was supposed to save him from. This was his problem… he'd be damned if he let yet another enemy win because he was too weak.

With Cell, it was personal. Just like it was for Yang and everyone else that had risked life and limb to fight him back on Remnant.

After a few moments of silence, Chi-Chi finally broke away from Gohan and wiped her tears. The son of Goku smiled when he saw Chi-Chi's unmistakeable expression of happiness. It was like years of grief had finally lifted off her shoulders. She was practically glowing!

"Why don't you come inside? I'm sure you have a lot to tell me about what you've been up to," Chi-Chi stated in her all-to-familiar motherly tone. She paused slightly as she looked over Gohan once again. "And also why you haven't aged a day since I last saw you. I swear… you Saiyans… you should be at least thirty by now!" she finished with a look of confusion on her face. It was at this moment, when she noticed the blonde girl standing a few paces behind Gohan. "Who are you?"

"O-Oh!" Yang stuttered, slightly flustered. She had been so lost in her own thoughts that Chi-Chi addressing her came slightly out of left field. "I'm Yang! I'm… uh," the blonde slowly trailed off as the mother of Gohan walked up to her and looked over her, clearly sizing her up. Yang wasn't going to lie, she felt slightly intimidated by this woman's presence, despite sensing and knowing that she was stronger.

"You know," Chi-Chi started, a slight smirk appearing on her face. "I had dreamed of the moment when my son brought a girl home. I had so many things lined up to say, but as the years went on I forgot, with all the chaos going on," she said with an absent tone. It was almost like she was reflecting on the better years. The days before the world was thrown into a state of constant fear. "But right now, I'm just happy that my son is finally home. Come inside you two."

Gohan and Yang followed without a second thought. The house was warm and welcoming, contrary to what Gohan was expecting. Spending so many years alone with just her father to keep her company must have been difficult. He was expecting the house to be a mess, reflecting what her emotions should have been, but everything seemed rather collected. The house was freshly cleaned and tidy, as if he hadn't left it at all. It seemed Goku's impromptu visit had perked her up quite significantly.

They sat down and recounted events to allow Chi-Chi to put the pieces together. Gohan recalled his fight with the Androids, leading him to find himself on Remnant in a stasis pod. Naturally, she was surprised by the fact that he had been inside of that for thirteen years, thus explaining his current age. For all intents and purposes, he was still seventeen, but in reality, he was around his thirties. Yang tried her best to shut that part out of her mind.

Chi-Chi was quite interested in Yang's side of the story, especially containing the parts about her being in some kind of romantic relationship with her son. The mother didn't exactly seem that surprised, given how they had arrived here together. She had mostly put two and two together quite quickly. Gohan always knew his mother was a sharp one. Growing up, she was always the voice of reason, thinking about his future. As harsh as she was, she wanted Gohan to have a place in the modern world. It was unfortunate that the circumstances of their time called for Gohan's strength.

Chi-Chi was astounded that Gohan worked as a librarian at Beacon Academy. At least he had some kind of job that required his academics!

"Gosh… I hope everyone on your world is alright," Chi-Chi said sympathetically. Yang merely sighed, the grip around her tea tightening. She was careful not to break the cup, though. "Those Androids ravaged Earth. If it wasn't for them, most of my husband's friends would still be alive…"

"We're going back to fight him," Yang replied somberly. "Though, our chances aren't looking too hot. I hope these days won't be our last, but we can't let him destroy Remnant. My dad still lives there, and millions of other people are in danger."

"How do you plan to fight him?" Chi-Chi asked with a curious gaze.

"We're using the Room of Spirit and Time to try and close the gap in power," the half-Saiyan explained. "I sensed that Yang's mother and Qrow exited earlier this morning. Their power has multiplied several times over, but it's still nowhere close to the kind of energy Cell is packing." Chi-Chi grimaced at the mention of the Time Chamber.

"Goku had told me about that place briefly before he got sick. He told me how dangerous it was. I begged him never to use it, but you know how stubborn he is. Anything to get stronger. I used to believe nothing could kill that man, but I've been wrong on a few accounts," Chi-Chi sighed depressively. "If you need to use that room, promise me you will take care of each other. Goku was always fighting on his own, with his own strength… and look where that got him."

"Mom…"

"No!" Chi-Chi snapped, causing Yang to feel anxious. "I've already accepted that… that this world needs you. I wanted a different life for you, but I guess you can't have everything you want. At least promise me, that you won't fight this monster alone. I don't want to lose my son again," Chi-Chi finished, sounding absolutely miserable. Gohan remained silent, knowing that he was probably going to go against his mother's wishes. He didn't want Yang and the others to be involved in this fight. However, they were determined to fight alongside him.

"Don't worry," Yang retorted softly, a smile gracing her features. "Gohan won't be fighting alone. I and all my friends will be at his side. There's no way we are going to let Cell win. I promise," she finished seriously. Chi-Chi hadn't known this blonde girl long, but there was something about her that allowed the mother to trust her words. The compassion Yang spoke with. She could tell there was no way Yang was going to leave Gohan's side. Not until her very last breath.

"Thank you," the mother replied, relieved that her son wouldn't be alone in this battle. "Anyway, it's getting late. These years haven't been kind to me, so I need my rest. I will see you two in the morning," Chi-Chi stated, getting up and exiting the room. The moment she left the room, Gohan exhaled deeply, something he had been clearly holding in for quite some time. His head dropped into his hands, running his fingers through his onyx black hair.

"She's changed more than I realized. She was so against me fighting before… it's kind of strange to hear her accepting that I need to follow in my father's footsteps," Gohan mumbled to himself. Yang gave him a pat on the back, reassuring him that everything was okay. He lifted his head and gave her a small smile before standing up and heading outside. She followed behind him rather closely, wondering where he was going. He didn't fly or run anywhere, he just walked through the forest until he came upon a small clearing, a few hundred meters away from his home.

The more Yang walked, the more she came to realize that his home was so much like hers back in Patch. They both lived in very rural areas, preferring the quiet countryside to the loud lifestyle of a city or a town. Maybe she and Gohan shared more in common than they realized. She so desperately wanted to move her relationship with him forward. She wanted to… go on dates… do things that normal couples would do. However the word 'normal' didn't exactly exist in her current life. If anything, all of _this_ , was normal. Saving the world and being the last hope against an unstoppable force.

When she had applied for Beacon Academy, she never would have guessed she would end up in a situation like this.

Gohan had laid down on a grassy bank surrounded by trees and soothed by the sweet sound of a river rushing behind him. Yang joined him under the light from the stars. It was a beautiful night sky, millions of blinking lights slowly dulling her senses and making her drowsy. Her lilac eyes glanced towards Gohan, his expression was peaceful and calm. Once again, she hadn't often gotten to see this side of him. He was a strong, unmoving force. He was her rock, the anchor that kept her grounded.

"Hey, Gohan?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you like me?"

The question threw him for a loop.

"I thought you said I was your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I know. _I_ said that… but how do you actually feel about me?"

Gohan took a few moments to think about her words. Romance, it was never something even remotely on his mind. Yang had sort of brought it forward when she kissed him back at her house. He had been fighting his whole life and barely had any experience with romance. Fighting and learning how to survive against murderous machines had been his life.

That had been his romance.

To dance daily with devils.

It hadn't been until he had met Yang that these feelings even started to surface. What was he supposed to say to her? She had been straightforward with her words, but she was a headstrong kind of person. She didn't really hold anything back, and that included her feelings. He'd like to think he was the same… but… was he?

"I… don't know, Yang," Gohan stated honestly. He could feel her ki fluctuate, but she remained still and allowed him to continue. "You know what I've been through. You've seen the kind of people I've had to fight for almost my entire life. I just… I don't know what these feelings are. I care about you… perhaps more than the others. Is that what it means to be in love? I don't know what it is, but I can't afford to let it get in the way of facing Cell."

So there was something there.

She just had to be patient.

Gohan was for all intents and purposes, a tortured soul. He was so far out of the ordinary, he might as well be the definition of whatever the opposite was. She didn't know why she was even remotely surprised that he didn't know what these feelings were. His life had just been one fight after another, and yet here he was, struggling to really understand what these feelings were when his fiercest challenge was waiting for him just over the horizon.

"You don't have to," Yang said suddenly, sitting up. She maneuvered her body and placed herself overtop of Gohan. She leaned her head down, allowing her golden hair to fall and surround both their faces. Gohan opened his mouth to question her actions, however, was quickly cut off as Yang shushed him with nothing but a finger. Her eyes held passion, while Gohan's held confusion, yet intrigue at the same time. If he couldn't understand his feelings… then she'd help him understand.

"Gohan… this entire situation is just…" Yang sighed, allowing her voice to trail off. "I don't know if we can beat Cell. I'm sorry for having doubts, but I sensed his power. So I don't want to walk towards my potential death with regrets. So… I wanted to tell you, that I love you," Yang said. Gohan's stunned silence allowed her to take a deep breath. It was… easier than she had thought. The words had been lost on her for a time, hidden by her fear. "You were there for me when I wanted to sink into an abyss of my own despair. When Ruby died, I lost hope… I wanted the world to burn so I could be with her again, but you pulled me out of it. You _showed_ me that no matter how hopeless things seem, you have to remain strong, for the people that still count on you."

"Yang, I-"

"Please, let me finish. I have things to say. If I don't say them now. I don't think I'll ever have the courage to be able to say them again."

Silence covered the area like a fog. The only sound the young Saiyan could make out was the gentle rhythmic beating of her heart. She seemed to have calmed down after her confession. Gohan stared deeply into her lilac irises. For some reason, he couldn't find his voice. He was captivated by her natural beauty. The blonde tresses that caressed their faces were scented with an ocean breeze. Gohan couldn't find any other word to describe Yang at the moment aside from breathtaking.

"I know you have suffered for almost all of your life. I-I don't know if I can heal the damage that's already been done. But I do know this. I want to be here for you _now._ You've been there for me from the start from when I was struggling to find the will to live. I don't know if I'd have been able to come back without your help. Your kindness. Your resolve. Your _love_."

Gohan found it becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. He'd never heard the blonde speak so sincerely about her feelings for him. It truly moved him. Something inside of him was rising up within his chest. This girl thought the world of him. Deep down he was beginning to realize he felt the same for her. His eyes widened significantly when he noticed a clear liquid begin to trace down her face. Yang wasn't a crier… it didn't suit her.

Yet, right now… it seemed like she was more vulnerable than she had ever been.

"You don't have to return my feelings. I'll still love you to the very end of my life. I just...had to make sure you knew how I truly felt. No more regrets and everything laid out on the table. I love you, Gohan. I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather spend my remaining days with," she finished with a radiant smile. Gohan slowly reached his hand out to gently wipe away the tears that adorned her face. It startled the blonde at first, but she quickly leaned her head into the welcoming palm that now rested against her cheek.

This night under the stars, giving them both peace of mind. Despite neither saying anything more, they both knew what they wanted.

For this moment to never end.

=/=

* * *

=/=

A fire roared around them with a ferocity unlike anything the girls from Remnant had ever seen.

Facing off in the middle of the white void, Cinder and Pyrrha were bleeding heavily. Cuts, bruises, and burn marks littered their body like a chaotic collage of violence. Both had long since abandoned their usual attire and had donned the battle suits they were given. However, the armor had been long since been worn down, leaving them with only the comfort of a skin-tight suit. Neither of them particularly cared about their modesty at this moment. This was life and death now. Fighting to push each other beyond their very limits.

It had been so long since they had started fighting. Hours? Days? They couldn't exactly keep track anymore. The place had done a number on them within the first few weeks, but the girls forced themselves to adjust to the brutal conditions of the Time Chamber.

Pyrrha's fiery hair was not in her usual ponytail, instead, flowing loosely down her back. It had come undone at some point in the fight. As for Cinder, her hair had grown to the point where was almost down to her lower back. Her obsidian strands were just as straight and luscious as Pyrrha's rose-colored tresses. Both of their bodies had undergone a vast physical transformation. No longer did either girl have an ounce of fat on them. Pure, lean, cut muscle was visible on their arms, hips, abdomen, and legs.

The intense gravity had tuned their bodies into marvels, unlike any kind of training they had done before. It was something they hadn't quite been expecting but were grateful for nonetheless.

"Don't you think we should break? You look tired," Pyrrha asked with a slight smirk. Cinder scoffed, her own grin stretching across her features.

"Tired? No way. I think you've got it wrong. Are you scared of me, Pyrrha?" the Red Queen shot back. The Mistral Champion chuckled as she launched forward and threw a lightning fast punch. Cinder arched her body backward, avoiding the attack with ease. With a swipe of her leg, she forced Pyrrha to retreat into the air, which Cinder had no problem following. The two burst into the sky with renewed energy, blowing away the wild inferno that surrounded them. As they took to the air, the temperature dropped to below freezing in seconds. Their breath became frosty mists, and their sweat froze on their faces.

All it took was a burst of their Ki to break through any side effects of the temperature. Their energy protected them from virtually anything, be it fire or ice.

Cinder charged an energy blast in her hand and laced it with maiden energy. The energy took on an element, the outer shell of the energy in her hands becoming a raging blue fire. With a scream, she launched it towards Pyrrha. The redhead's eyes narrowed as she slipped into her semblance evolved, trying to take control of Cinder's energy attack. She managed to override and throw it straight back at her. However, Cinder had been anticipating that move.

The older girl was quick to flash forward, closing the distance between her and Pyrrha. She left an afterimage to take on her previously conjured attack. Pyrrha had been slightly stunned and reacted too slowly. Cinder tackled her back to the ground. The two plummeted down, crashing hard enough to cause a violent storm of ice to erupt around them.

Pyrrha rolled, throwing her opponent off of her. She quickly cupped her hands and charged a Kamehameha, not hesitating to let it explode toward her enemy. Cinder growled as she charged her own energy attack in her hands. It was a variation to Pyrrha's technique. Her energy blast was a dark crimson with violet tints to it. She laced it with maiden magic and fired. The beams clashed and formed a small dome in the middle. Both girls struggled for control and pushed their energy beyond what they were capable of.

The force of their energy clashing forced the two female fighters to skid backward, but retain their balance and output of energy. Neither of them were willing to give up this little duel, and neither would lie and say they _weren't_ having fun fighting each other with this kind of power. Over the months they had been in here, they had grown closer to each other. Cinder had begun to open up to Pyrrha, albeit only in small amounts here and there. Pyrrha began to see a different side to the once selfish, power-hungry woman.

They had formed a bond, as much as Cinder would refuse to admit it. It had grown since their time here in the chamber. They _trusted_ each other with their lives. When one of them got hurt, the other would carry them back to the temple and tend to their wounds. It happened quite often. It was slow to start but had become second nature after the first few months.

"You can do better than that!" Pyrrha roared over the commotion of their energy clash. Cinder grunted as she poured more of her Ki and magic into her attack.

"So can you!" she screamed back at her redheaded friend. The dome in the middle started to grow as each fighter continued to equalize their power output. The clash looked like it could go on forever, but the Mistral prodigy allowed her energy to surge once more, overwhelming Cinder in seconds. The wave of Ki swallowed Cinder, sending her off into the distance. Her body felt like it had been engulfed in an inferno. Searing heat ate away at her body, before ultimately detonating and sending her tumbling.

She landed eventually, after what seemed like an eternity of falling. Cinder lost feeling in her body, numbness overtaking the pain. Her adrenaline was starting to kick in, dulling her nerves. She knew it would hurt tomorrow, and maybe for the next week or so until her enhanced aura had healed all the damage. Her physical form was still smoking from the explosion, her battle suit almost in tatters. The corners of her mouth trailed rivers of crimson. One of her eyes was sealed shut in an attempt to stop the agonizing pain.

The sound of feet landing next to her forced her to turn her head.

"You always win these battles, despite my additional power as the Fall Maiden," Cinder hissed, coughing in pain. Pyrrha regarded her with a roll of her eyes. Picking the girl up bridal style, she took to the air and headed back to the temple. "Why can I never seem to get a satisfying victory over you?"

"You're too focused on your own pride," Pyrrha replied calmly. "You think that because you have power, that you should win. Power isn't everything, like I've been telling you."

"Tell that to Cell," Cinder retorted angrily. Pyrrha sighed once more.

"He's… different. I like to think I win because I know who I'm fighting for. My team… Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Blake, Gohan and all the others. I always tell myself that I can't fall, because if I do, one of my friends will only have to endanger themselves in my place, and I won't allow that." Pyrrha explained as they reached the temple. She carried Cinder through to a different room and placed her on one of the beds.

The older girl managed to push herself up and aid Pyrrha in the removal of her clothes so she could get at her injuries better. It had become routine. So much so that Cinder wasn't even bothered by the fact that Pyrrha had seen her naked, vice versa. For months in this place, and with only each other as company. Modesty and private time tended to be spent together. The risks of going insane in this place due to isolation were too great. Besides, they didn't want to lose each other. This white void seemed to have no end to it.

"You're so philosophical. It makes me want to vomit."

"You love being dramatic," Pyrrha countered as she walked over to a nearby cupboard, opening it to reveal stacks of first aid supplies. She returned to Cinder's side with bandages, bottles of medicine, and other things to help speed up physical recovery. "We all have our differences. It's what makes us special," the invincible girl said with a small smile. Cinder grumbled but winced as Pyrrha started tending to her wounds. Cinder had done this once or twice for Pyrrha, on the rare occasion that she did manage to one-up the girl. However, in the time they had been here, it was mostly her on the bed with the redhead mending her back to health.

" _Yeah,_ " Cinder thought bitterly. " _Special. Because that's such a_ _ **good**_ _thing_."

There was silence for the next few minutes as Pyrrha cleaned each wound Cinder had, before wrapping it tightly. She was no doctor or nurse, but the basics were taught to her when she first attended Sanctum academy. The older female refused to meet the prodigy's eyes, but eventually the silence became too awkward for both of them, and strangely enough, Cinder was the one to break it.

"Do you think we can kill Cell?"

"We don't have a choice. We have to," Pyrrha responded simply. "If we don't everyone will die."

"Pyrrha," Cinder replied softly, but the seriousness in her tone forced Pyrrha to slow her movements. "We both watched him get blasted by an attack so powerful it carved a scar into the very earth itself, which spanned as far as our eyes could see. Both of us saw his body, split in half. He… he _regrew_ himself when someone had blasted his _fucking_ top half into dust…" she trailed off in disbelief. Pyrrha's gaze fell to the floor, knowing where Cinder's doubts where coming from. How were they supposed to kill something that could regenerate that kind of damage when they weren't even capable of making him _bleed_?

"We can't just do nothing, Cinder. We… have to fight."

"I'm aware of that," the injured woman responded. Her body shivered as a light translucent color shimmered across her form, signifying her aura having returned. Instantly the pain she had been feeling had dulled even more, and the lesser wounds started to heal quickly. Cinder exhaled a breath of relief. "It's just… aren't you _scared_?"

"Of course I am," Pyrrha replied softly, a frown crossing her face. "I've fought Cell on a few occasions now. He's even more powerful than he ever was before. Not to mention how much skill he has with fighting. It outshines anything we were ever capable of achieving back on Remnant. Maidens or huntresses combined. Are… you scared?"

"Terrified," Cinder responded somberly. "I don't say that without reason. I worked under Salem for a very long time. I experienced horrors, the full extents of her mind-twisting powers," she explained as she ran a hand through her messy black hair. "She was convincing and manipulative. I was desperate and she used that. I thought Salem was the worst I would ever experience, let alone the strange Grimm I saw wandering the wastes around her domain. Cell though, he's… something out of a nightmare you can't wake up from."

"I have described him in a similar way before. His first form is something I'll never forget until the day I die. That hungry look in his eyes… we looked more like food to him than challengers," Pyrrha said as she turned and sat down on the bed. She removed her boots and pulled her legs up to her chest. Cinder watched her, an almost sympathetic look on her features. Cell's strength was like the summit of the mountain, and they had barely managed to get up the base of it. They weren't even close to the halfway point. This entire venture seemed pointless, but they had to try.

"I won't lie, the thought of running away has occurred to me on a few occasions," Cinder admitted. Pyrrha didn't even look her way, a look of guilt washing over the redhead's expression. It was obvious to the ex-criminal that the same thought had also struck her as well. "Doesn't help that there isn't really anywhere to run. He's not something you can really run away from."

"That's the worst part about this," Pyrrha agreed. "Nowhere to run. Our backs are against the wall."

Another moment of silence passed between the two, causing the older woman to eventually sigh.

"Well, we are here now. So let's try to make the most of it," Cinder stated with a small smile. Pyrrha looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "What are you looking at?"

"I've never heard you sound so positive before."

"I guess you've been rubbing off on me, Nikos."

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before breaking out into small chuckles.

It seemed that in the darkest of times, unlikely friendships blossomed.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Another chapter with some very warm moments and a bit more Yang and Gohan. I'm trying to push this romance forward in a more understanding, realistic kind of way. I hope I'm doing okay, once again, never said I was good at romance. I had Ruby reflecting on her failure to save her mother from Cell while also being comforted by Blake and Weiss, while Cinder and Pyrrha get their training on in the Time Chamber.**

 **Not much to say about this chapter, but I hoped you enjoyed it.**

 **On a side note, RWBY Volume 6 (so far).**

 **So far… Wowzers. I'm not even going to mince my words, this Volume is leagues better than anything we've gotten before. I dare say, these first three episodes (at the time of posting this) have been the best RWBY has produced so far. Suffice to say that Volume 5, in my opinion, was a trainwreck and very nearly ruined the series for me. However, Volume 6 so far as honestly hooked me and got me excited again.**

 **I won't spoil anything for those of you who aren't First Members but be prepared for episode three. It fully changed my perspective on RWBY. I literally came out of the episode wondering if I was still watching the SAME show. That's all I'll say.**

 **Until next time folks.**


	26. Hearts of Glass

A/N:

 **I'm back! I think! Hope you guys had a good Christmas and New Year. I've been busy slaving away working, trying to earn as much cash as I possibly can. The life of a University student, it seems. Sorry, I had to put my stories on hold for that. Hopefully, I'll be able to update more often now that my shifts have reduced.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter Twenty Six: Hearts of Glass_

Ruby yawned as she, Blake, and Weiss walked out of the temple after a good night's rest.

Surprisingly, the beds were quite comfortable, more so than their old dorm room beds. As the three walked out of the temple, they saw Pyrrha's team working with the friendly android in green, the one Raven called Android Sixteen. However, there seemed to be a newcomer that had joined the fray. Trunks had for some reason returned to the Lookout after leaving with Gohan and Yang.

"Hey, Trunks!" Ruby called out waving. The person in question turned and returned the gesture. He wore some casual shoes, a purple jacket, and black pants. The sword Ruby had seen him carrying before was gone, and Trunks seemed much more relaxed. His hands were in his pockets and he wore a friendly, welcoming smile.

"Hello Ruby!" Trunks greeted, walking over towards the younger caped girl and her friends. "How's the training going?"

"Haha, uh… I wouldn't really know. I'm not the one in the magical room, err… place."

"What she means," Weiss cut in, flicking some strands of hair out of her eyes. Her almost regal tone did not go unnoticed by Trunks. "Is that we don't know how Cinder and Pyrrha are doing. Although, judging from the timing, they should be out in the next few minutes. It's almost been twenty-four hours. That is… if they haven't killed each other. I swear, Cinder seems like a loose cannon. I don't know how Pyrrha puts up with her," Weiss stated dismissively as she walked past Trunks to go and talk with Jaune and the others. Blake couldn't help but crack a smile as Trunks stared strangely at Weiss as she passed him.

"Don't mind her," Ruby giggled with a shrug. "She didn't sleep very well. Despite all she's been through, she wasn't quite comfortable with the bed she slept in."

"Right," Trunks replied unsurely, turning back to Ruby and Blake. "I decided to come up here early to see if you guys wanted to see Earth while you were waiting. My mother thought you guys might be a little bit bored sitting around waiting for everyone to finish their training. Besides, after what I've heard you guys have been through, some rest and relaxation wouldn't do you any harm."

"That's awfully nice of you," Blake responded. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Well, I thought-" Trunks cut himself off as a wave of energy surged from within in the temple. Everyone on the Lookout turned to look at the entrance. Even Jaune, Nora, and Ren were able to feel the incredible power radiating from within the building. "W-What incredible energy!" he breathed, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was sensing.

Ruby and Blake's eyes were wide in disbelief as two silhouettes emerged from the shadows.

It was like someone had punched everyone in the gut. Every soul on the Lookout was lost for words, even Qrow and Raven who were standing at a distance towards the edge of the Lookout. Out of the darkness, stepped Pyrrha and Cinder, side by side, like they were the best of friends. The stunning physical changes were something no one could have seen coming.

Pyrrha was wearing her normal attire, but her hair had grown out. She wore it down like Yang did, except hers was straight and silky instead of wavy and curly. She stood an inch taller than she did before, and her body was slim, with defined muscle visible on every exposed part of her body. She no longer looked like a regular teenager, and more so looked like an adult. Her emerald eyes landed on Jaune the moment she came out of the entrance of the temple. Her Ki, like Cinder's, was monstrous, but it also seemed quiet and composed.

Cinder wore her signature red dress with black heels. Like Pyrrha, her hair had grown a great deal, her long charcoal tresses flowing all the way down her back. Her amber eyes had a slight glow to them as if she found everything around her amusing. The very air around her exerted arrogance, but for once she had a very good reason to feel that way. Naturally, compared to Cell, they were still far off. However, their power had grown far beyond Raven and Qrow's, much to the two veterans' ire.

"Hello again!" Pyrrha announced with a beaming smile. "I see it's only been a day out here. It's quite extraordinary to be the ones returning, rather than witnessing," she said eyeing Qrow and Raven. The former regarded her with a friendly smirk, while the other frowned with clear displeasure. The high Raven had been on after returning from the chamber was crushed, seeing as Pyrrha and Cinder clearly outclassed her in power now. Skill, however… that was another boat entirely.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune called out, running over along with Nora. Ren calmly walked behind his two teammates as they went to meet their friend. The blonde haired teen stopped as he reached the red-headed wonder. He opened his mouth to say something but found himself at a loss. Pyrrha looked stunning, not that she wasn't already before, but her attractiveness had quadrupled in his eyes. The sheer beauty of this girl in front of him was paralyzing.

"Jaune," Pyrrha whispered, a hint of desire leaking into her voice. In a flash, she wrapped her hands around the boy and pulled him into her chest. Jaune was surprised by her strength and speed, his mind had barely registered the action. One moment he was standing in front of her and in the next, he was in her embrace, like a mother who had been reunited with her lost child. Through his clothes, he could feel her heartbeat. It was almost as if he could feel the love she held for him. "I missed you."

"You've only been gone a day," Jaune chuckled lightly, the two parting from the hug. "But for you, it's been a year… a year with _her_ ," he finished with a scowl in Cinder's direction. The ex-criminal rolled her eyes in the most dramatic fashion she could muster.

"I've killed people for less," Cinder muttered under her breath before she turned to address the boy. "I'm not your enemy, sword boy, so why don't you quit it with the passive aggressive tone?"

"We don't trust you," Nora stepped in, a scowl on her face. "We heard about what you did at Beacon."

"This song and dance again?" Cinder droned. "Pyrrha, honey," she started, a grin forming on her features in the most mocking way possible. "Can you tell your little teammates that I'm reformed? I'm a good girl now. There's no need for them to feel so threatened when they're around me."

To add insult to injury, Cinder turned and wrapped one of her arms around the back of Pyrrha's neck and pulled her close. All she could do was sigh when Jaune and Nora looked at her questionably, even Ren seemed rather confused. Weiss and Ruby watched on with slight anticipation. The red-caped teen didn't know much about Cinder, other than that she was Pyrrha's friend, and that she came from Mistral as a student from Haven, during the Vytal Festival. Weiss, on the other hand, knew what Cinder had done.

Qrow had made sure she knew everything she needed to know about Cinder.

"Get your hands off-" Jaune was cut off by Pyrrha as she pushed Cinder off her, a scowl on her face.

"Cinder, seriously? You're being childish. Stop tormenting my friends," Pyrrha scolded. Cinder growled quietly, her face becoming slightly enraged, but she quickly calmed. She allowed a smile to take hold as she took a few steps back.

"Ruin my fun why don't you?" Cinder fake pouted, turning her head to address Pyrrha's teammates. "Listen. About two years ago for me, I wouldn't have batted an eye if I had to kill any of you. I was ordered to destroy Beacon under Salem's orders and retrieve the Fall Maiden's powers," she explained, her eyes flicking to Weiss for a brief moment. The pale girl shuddered as Cinder returned her attention to Jaune and the rest of JNPR. "Do I regret it? I couldn't honestly tell you."

"So you'd do it again?" Jaune accused, defiance and courage raging in his eyes. He didn't care if this girl was a thousand times stronger than him. He wouldn't cower anymore.

The woman in the crimson dress shrugged at his accusation.

"If I had known that Salem was intending to throw me away after I had completed my task, then no. I wouldn't do it again. What would I have to gain from destroying a school? I _wanted_ the Fall Maiden. I was _sent_ there to destroy Beacon. Two different objectives that just so happened to be located in the same place," Cinder explained. Jaune was clearly angry at her reasoning. People died during that assault, be it from Cell or the Grimm. While he knew Cell was ultimately to blame for all the destruction, that didn't mean Cinder would get off scot-free for trying to take advantage of the situation and making it worse.

"So you're just another power hungry psychopath," he hissed back. Cinder's expression darkened, causing Pyrrha to sigh and step in.

"Jaune, that's enough."

"How can you trust her!?"

"Because I've fought and bled alongside her against a foe that by all means, was an impossible opponent," Pyrrha explained, with a soft tone to her voice. "Despite what she may have done in the past, she's changed for the better. I trust her with my life, Jaune. Please understand…" Cinder frowned and merely turned away. Her pride took a bit of a hit, but she couldn't bring herself to degrade Pyrrha after everything the girl had done for her.

"I see," Jaune replied somberly, still showing hints of mistrust. Pyrrha couldn't exactly blame Nora and Ren for feeling the same way as Jaune. They hadn't been there to see Cinder fight tooth and nail to help them in the effort against Cell. They didn't see the kind of bond the two of them had built inside the time chamber. The older woman was insecure, and she did rather well to hide it. Years of bottling up emotions and anger, only to be let out in short, controlled bursts. "I still don't trust her… but if you feel that way, then I'll respect it."

"That's all I ask," Pyrrha replied simply.

"Not to interrupt," an older, more mature voice broke through the thick tension in the air. Everyone turned to see Piccolo approaching, his signature scowl ever present on his tough green features. "But it's time for the next pair to go in. Ruby, let's go."

"Wait. Now?" she replied quickly, suddenly nervous.

"Did I stutter?" Piccolo growled back. "Get moving!"

"Yes, sir!" Ruby shrieked, shooting back into the temple at speeds that shocked everyone. A small smirk graced Piccolo's face as he followed her. Weiss looked on in shock, as did Blake who had been silently observing the conversation up until that moment. The faunus and the Schnee exchanged a quick glance before bursting into a fit of giggles. Even Pyrrha and the rest of JNPR found the humor in that little moment. Ruby had always been known to be a bit of a slacker. No one had ever seen her respond to commands so quickly before.

"That kind of authority might have been useful when we were back at Beacon," Weiss chuckled. "If I had that kind of sway over her, she would have had grades just as good as mine!"

That managed to get a few laughs out of Pyrrha and the others.

"Anyways," Trunks continued, having waited patiently for the commotion to die down. "I was wondering if you guys wanted to see what Earth is like. I can show you around all the major cities now that they've been mostly rebuilt. Since you two have just finished training, I can only assume you would be looking forward to some rest."

"Most definitely," Pyrrha agreed with a nod as she turned to Jaune and the rest of her team. "Do you guys want to come?"

"We'll pass," Ren said quickly. "We still have a lot left to learn about flying and the other aspects of Ki control. We won't be going anywhere anytime soon. So go enjoy yourself," he finished. Nora and Jaune could only nod in agreement. Pyrrha turned back to Trunks, a look of excitement and wonder on her face.

"Alright, I guess it's just us four," Pyrrha said, gesturing to Cinder, Weiss, and Blake. "I won't lie. I'm kind of excited to see what this world is like. Gohan mentioned that Grimm didn't exist here. That's more than enough to get me interested, not to mention I'd like to see the kind of culture you have here," the prodigy huntress explained. Cinder was rather apathetic to the whole idea, but she couldn't help but feel slightly intrigued by what this world had to offer in comparison to Remnant.

"As long as I'm not sitting around doing nothing, then it's fine," Cinder stated passively. Weiss and Blake had already made up their minds. They couldn't take spending another day waiting on the Lookout. It would drive them crazy!

"So where are we heading first?" Blake questioned. Even she seemed eager to see what the planet had in store if her ears perking up were any indication. Trunks chuckled at the feline behavior.

"Well, I thought we could start at West City first. I do live there after all, and I know that place like the back of my hand!" Trunks exclaimed as he slowly took to the air. The four girls were quick to follow as the group picked up speed. "What do you guys think?"

"You're the tour guide," Weiss responded with a smirk. "Where we go first doesn't really matter."

"West City it is then!" Trunks declared with a grin. His aura flared as he rocketed off into the distance. Cinder and Blake were quick to follow, with a slightly miffed Weiss speeding off shortly after she realized she had been left in the dust. Pyrrha waved to her teammates as they descended off the Lookout and tore through the sky. In moments, the Lookout was lost over the horizon, the group flying at speeds no normal human could process.

The group, minus Cinder and Trunks, were mesmerized by the land they were passing over. Everything seemed so much brighter and more lively than Remnant. That was probably due to the lack of Grimm. Weiss and Blake even swore they saw a few hikers as they passed over a seemingly endless sea of green vegetation and forest.

"This place is beautiful," Blake gasped as they passed over valleys surrounded by mountains, harboring rivers and countless wildlife. Not a single shadowy monster in sight. Remnant had places like these, but they were so rare to find. A lot of the wild was infested with Grimm. It made traveling a burden to anyone that didn't have their aura unlocked, or wasn't trained.

"Believe it or not, this land was mostly cultivated. Long ago before I was born, valleys like this one were home to small towns and villages that lived off the land," Trunks explained as they passed over a mountain. They were quick to see a small abandoned settlement that was seemingly overtaken by wildlife and vegetation. The buildings were clearly made by man, given the architecture and technology, but the scars of a battle were evident all over the place.

"What happened?" Weiss asked sadly as the settlement disappeared behind them. Trunks sighed heavily.

"When the Androids came, there was no one to stop them. They slaughtered anything they came across," he replied somberly. The light atmosphere in the group turned rather sour as Cinder scoffed in disgust.

"Figures," she growled lowly. "That's exactly what Cell's been doing to Remnant. He's doing a far better job than the Grimm ever could."

"Grimm?" Trunks raised an eyebrow at the name.

"Soulless creatures born from shadow to hunt humanity into extinction. We've been at war with them for thousands of years," Blake explained with a thoughtful look on her face. "We just managed to destroy their leader… well, actually, Cell killed her. However, I don't think that'll change anything. The Grimm has been around long before Salem managed to reign control over them," she finished. Both Pyrrha and Weiss turned and looked at her sadly.

"I don't think there will be any way to completely wipe the Grimm from existence. From what I saw of the environment in that wasteland, they just seemed to spawn from the darkness. It's hard to explain, but even with our powers, I'm not entirely sure they _can_ be eradicated," Pyrrha stated sorrowfully. It was a sour pill to swallow. How do you kill something that can infinitely spawn from darkness?

Cinder didn't visibly react to any of the comments and just opted to observe the conversation. She held no love for Remnant. It had done her no favors in the long run. She wasn't fighting to protect it. She was just fighting to survive. She constantly asked herself the question why she was even bothering to entertain the idea of going back to fight Cell.

Her answer always had her looking at Pyrrha and what the redhead had done for her. Somehow, somewhere down the line, that teenage girl had gotten under her skin and found a weakness in her facade. Cinder had always considered herself a one-woman army, only employing help when she knew sacrifices were necessary. Even when she worked under Salem's tyrannical command, she had always worked in her own interests. Always going the extra mile to ensure her own safety and security.

That all changed when Gohan came into the picture.

The only person at the time that she could probably describe as some kind of God in human form, had descended upon Remnant and in one fateful night crippled both her and her plans. His strength was monstrous compared to her own and she had been forced to reflect on her actions. Then came her eventual loss to Ozpin, someone she had vastly and stupidly underestimated despite Salem's many warnings. Perhaps she was tunnel visioned on her desire to become the Fall Maiden? Her arrogance had blinded her to what was really going on.

Then Pyrrha barged into her life after she had been under forced employment by Raven Branwen. Pyrrha was the only person in Cinder's life that had ever seen her as just a person, despite what she had done. It was a sickening feeling, akin to a churning in her stomach. It was like she was some kind of princess in need of saving from her horrible and misguided choices. The girl grew on her like she was some kind of parasite. It was the only way Cinder could describe it. Her gag-inducing friendliness was an infectious disease that the ex-criminal had unfortunately caught.

It started off with them hating each other, obviously. Cinder tried to maim and hurt Pyrrha every chance she could. However, the teen was just too strong and she dominated Cinder every time they fought or trained. It wasn't until the fight with Cell that Cinder realized that this wasn't a foe she could beat on her own. No power in the world could be gained in such a short amount of time that would allow her to topple Cell, let alone Gohan. In the midst of such a deadly battle, she had found herself defending Pyrrha almost instinctively.

It was the same in the fight against that alien creature, Freeza.

Pyrrha had shown her mercy at every turn. Sure, the prodigy got angry and on the rare occasion almost killed Cinder, but the girl never fought out of anger or sought retribution for Cinder's misdeeds. Who could be so kind and pure-hearted to even offer her that kind of friendship? The Red Queen couldn't for the life of her understand Pyrrha's mindset… until they had trained together in the Room of Spirit and Time.

That place had worn them both down.

All they had was each other.

Cinder was genuinely surprised at how alike they were. It just seemed that the circumstances of their upbringing had set them down different paths.

In that chamber, they cared for each other, tended to each other's wounds, weathered the trials and tribulations of that hellish void. It was a test of wills and inner strength almost as much as it was a training mission. Pyrrha was her friend… her only friend. She didn't quite know what to think about that.

All she knew was that she was going back to fight Cell for _Pyrrha_ , not for Remnant.

"This world seems nicer than Remnant," Cinder commented absently. The words just seemed to spill out of her mouth. She could feel eyes on her, all except for Trunks.

"Well, I wouldn't know much about Remnant," Trunks chuckled lightly. "I haven't seen what your world looks like, but you all seem to compare it to Earth, so I'd imagine it looks fairly similar. I will say that Earth is mostly peaceful. Since Gohan destroyed the Androids, we've been rebuilding and living our lives in peace," the son of Vegeta continued. He paused slightly as his expression morphed into one of thought and reflection. "I was really young when the Androids were still around. Gohan was still teaching me how to fight. I don't remember much, but I do remember what it felt like to live in fear."

"That's awful…" Weiss replied softly. "Before Cell, Remnant only had the Grimm to deal with. We dealt with them with Huntsmen and Huntresses, warriors trained to fight and exterminate the creatures. Although, I'd be lying if I said that Grimm were the only thing we had to worry about. There were other things that caused problems."

"White Fang," Blake said with a sigh. "Racism, terrorist groups, militias, gangs, and other general criminals. Our world is far from perfect, but it's a work in progress."

"Sounds rough," Trunks admitted. "I don't know about racism here. Haven't really witnessed much, if any at all. We do have our fair share of gangs and troublemakers though, but I guess that goes for any civilized societies," he continued. As he said that, they crossed over another ridge, allowing a giant city to come into view. Trunks grinned when he turned to see the group's faces. "Here we are! Coming up on West City!"

The flabbergasted looks on their faces were hard not to laugh at. As the group ripped through the sky, they couldn't help but slow down to admire the sights they were seeing. The place was massive and even from their height, they could hear hundreds of thousands of voices echoing off the city below them. Trunks slowed to a stop as they neared Capsule Corporation, allowing the girls to have a better look at the city. Trunks watched, chuckling to himself as he watched Weiss and Pyrrha do a few three-sixties in the air, just to take in the sights. Cinder and Blake were more or less just looking down below at the streets and the heights of the buildings. Already from this view, they could tell that the technology on Earth was _years_ ahead of Remnant.

"This place is huge!" Weiss exclaimed, unable to close her gaping mouth. "I-It stretches as far as the eye can see! None of the Kingdoms back home are _this_ big!"

"To be fair," Trunks cut in. "We did some expansion after the Androids were reported to be destroyed. A lot of the larger cities had to grow to accommodate refugees. West City wasn't always this big, but we are harboring most of the people from rural areas that came to us for shelter. They lost their homes when the Androids went on their sadistic rampage. This is also about fourteen years of hard work," he continued, pointing to various points of the city. "As you can see, there's still a lot of construction going on. Still, a few thousand people living on the streets. They're afraid of returning and rebuilding their homes out in the country. Some believe that the Androids are still around."

"This place is at least three times the size of Vale," Cinder commented. "How are you even supposed to navigate this place? Looks like a labyrinth."

"Goodness, this is rather overwhelming!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "Where do we even start?"

"Well, we could start down there," Trunks pointed to the large, yellow dome in the spacious part of the city. The building read 'CAPSULE CORPORATION'.

"Sounds good to me," Blake replied, descending to the ground. Trunks and everyone else followed suit, landing on the front lawn of the building. Weiss couldn't help but frown at the architecture of the 'building'. It was a circular dome that easily dwarfed the size of her father's mansion back on Remnant. She couldn't help but sulk about it silently. It was a petty thing to feel and she was quick to brush it off. Still, how could someone live in a home that represented half of a circle? It was rather bizarre. In fact, the culture here seemed very strange.

Trunks gave them a tour around his home, showing them all sorts of technology that left most of the group dumbfounded and mesmerized. The only one who seemed uninterested was Cinder, despite the fact that at some points, even she looked rather perplexed at the way some of the technology worked. Capsule tech was something Weiss was struggling to get her head around, and Trunks couldn't blame her. If she wanted to know the specifics, she would have to consult Bulma about it.

Eventually, the girls decided they wanted to go shopping, at the request of Cinder. Trunks didn't seem to mind, but after around three hours of walking around shops in West City, he was starting to get a little tired. He kept it to himself though, since the girls seemed to be enjoying themselves. Hell, even Cinder's standoffish personality had kind of melted away after all the casualness of looking at clothes and different outfits. It wasn't even just that, it was their excitement in experiencing a different culture.

These were Gohan's friends after all. He would suck up his boredom.

"Gosh," Pyrrha mumbled as she pulled a pair of women's swimming gear off one of the racks. A decent blush covered her face as she examined the one in her size. Back on Remnant, these stores weren't very popular. Swimming was such a rare thing to see, aside from contained areas in Kingdoms or towns. No beach was really safe seeing as aquatic Grimm were incredibly hard to fight. People tended to stay away from swimming, but here on Earth, it seemed rather common. "This barely covers anything… how indecent."

"I think you'd look good in that," Cinder commented idly, a smirk on her face. Pyrrha turned to see her holding a two-piece, much like her own. Cinder's however, was a mixture of gold and fiery orange, while Pyrrha's was a bright scarlet. Weiss and Blake had similar swimming suits picked out. Both had blushes equally as red as Pyrrha's. Clearly, bikinis weren't popular back on Remnant. "I'll be right back," she continued quickly, turning and walking into a changing room. Pyrrha glanced at Blake and Weiss with a worried look on her face.

"Am I the only one freaking out over this? If I wore this in public, I might as well be naked!"

"I feel you there, Pyrrha," Weiss replied, uncertainty in her tone. "I know these things exist back on Remnant, but I've always worn more modest things when I went swimming."

"I don't think it's _too_ bad," Blake said, looking at her own two-piece. "I mean, back when I lived in Menagerie, there was a small popular spot near the harbor. My mom and dad taught me to swim there and mom wore something like this… although it wasn't this exposing."

"Why are we even looking at this stuff?" Weiss questioned hotly.

"Trunks said there was a fantastic water park nearby and we didn't have anything to wear. Besides, it seems like a nice place to relax," Pyrrha reasoned, reminding the two girls why they even entered the store.

It seemed it had slipped their mind while they were browsing the clothes and gear. The three exchanged a few more worried glances before they heard a curtain open. They turned, flushing aggressively at the sight they saw before them. Cinder Fall walked out of the changing room dressed in her desired neon orange and gold bikini.

"Goodness!" Pyrrha raised her hands to her face, cupping her cheeks in shock. Weiss and Blake's mouths were agape, causing Cinder to laugh.

"Oh, you flatter me!" Cinder chuckled. "I knew I'd look sexy in this. Shows off all my curves."

"And more," Blake continued for the older woman. "Talk about eye candy."

"That leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination!" Weiss almost squeaked. Cinder merely continued to grin.

"Isn't that the point, ladies?" she questioned. "We're in our prime. Why _shouldn't_ we show off our goods?" Cinder finished, receiving looks from Pyrrha, Blake, and Weiss. They didn't exactly know how to respond to that. Blake and Pyrrha merely shared an unsure glance at one another, not really finding the idea comfortable. Weiss however, was struggling to keep her face from turning into a tomato, while also attempting to come up with a rebuttal to Cinder's question.

"We're not _floozies_ ," Weiss hissed, lower than a whisper. Cinder attempted to not roll her eyes at the remark but failed horribly.

"Never said you were. Now…" Cinder said as she grabbed Pyrrha by the arm. "Let's get you into that shall we?" she chuckled darkly, yanking Pyrrha into the changing room. The redhead managed to squeak in protest before the curtain closed behind them. Weiss and Blake watched on, light blushes appearing across their features as they listened to Pyrrha's gasps and shocked yelps.

"W-Wait! C-Cinder I'm not ready! No seriously, cut it o-out!" Pyrrha yelped, an echo of laughter emitting from her voice. "Ah! That tickles! S-Stop!"

"Hold still!" the fiery woman demanded hotly. There were sounds of shuffling behind the curtain as a few bits of Pyrrha's clothing were hung over the side for both Blake and Weiss to witness. The two members of team RWBY continued to watch in amazement as the strange situation before them continued to play out.

"I can't believe it," Weiss mumbled. "We're in public! Does that girl have any shame?"

"Cinder!" Pyrrha yelled a little louder than before. "Where are you touching!? This is not normal behavior!"

"Okay!" Blake stated suddenly, having been reminded of one of her favorite scenes in Ninjas of Love. "I need a cold shower," she said, turning around and walking away to a different changing room. Weiss managed to catch the cat-girls face before she turned away.

"Were you _**drooling**_!?" Weiss almost roared. When Blake continued to walk away, Weiss growled and marched after her violently. "Blake Belladonna, you come back here this instant!"

Trunks, unfortunately, could hear the commotion from the outside of the shop. A light blush covered his face.

" _I think I made the right decision staying out here._ "

=/=

* * *

=/=

It was a short time later that the girls found themselves in a secluded area of the waterpark, enjoying some quality, peaceful time in a thermal spa.

Trunks had decided to return home for the time being while the girls relaxed and had some time to themselves without the imminent threat of being destroyed. It was relatively tranquil for the most part. All four of them were able to ignore the distant screams of excitement as children of all ages ran around the different attractions.

The slight burn of the water felt almost euphoric against their skin.

Weiss and Blake were easily able to sink into a state of mind where they were lost to the world. Their eyes were lidded, borderline closing and threatening to fall asleep. Pyrrha was in the same boat, while Cinder had her arms outstretched on the sides of the circular walls of the spa.

Weiss and Blake had caved and bought their two-piece swimsuits. Weiss wore a unique silver bikini with light blue shading around the edges while Blake had a normal black piece. Despite walking into this place without her bow on, Blake was completely astounded by the lack of stares she was getting for having cat ears. In fact, she was almost ignored entirely. She wasn't quite sure whether that was a good or bad thing. However, she sensed no animosity when children had run past her.

While she might not have been getting stares for her feline ears, that did not mean they weren't ogled by various different males as they had walked to the spa. Weiss had trouble fighting the furious blush off her face but remained as composed as she could. Blake had kept looking straight ahead, attempting to ignore any perving stares. Pyrrha was just as embarrassed as Weiss was, if not more… and Cinder was drinking in the attention like she was some kind of addict for it.

"I haven't felt this relaxed in years," Cinder commented, crossing her legs under the water, causing a few ripples to be seen on the surface. "We certainly don't have facilities this extravagant on Remnant," she chuckled lightly. The spa was rather small, big enough to fit the four of them, but unable to fit any more than five or six. There were multiple different kinds of spas in this room. Shapes, sizes, and types of water.

It was quite interesting to see.

The fluorescent lighting above them had been dulled to create a more calming atmosphere in the room, which only seemed to be increased by the amount of steam in the room.

"This feels like Heaven," Weiss drawled sleepily.

"Mmmm," Blake hummed. Cinder allowed herself to chuckle, but only intensified when she heard Pyrrha moan lightly from her right. Cinder seemed to be the only one capable of resisting the temptation of falling asleep in here. However, that didn't mean she wasn't slightly drowsy. She had been looking forward to this kind of treatment for years, especially after spending a year in the time chamber. That place had been a Hell like no other, but the time certainly paid off.

"I could get used to this," Cinder murmured quietly as she surveyed the three girls. Granted, she only really knew Pyrrha and could consider the redhead her friend. However, she got this feeling around the rest of them… a feeling of trust and security. This was something she was not exactly familiar with when she was around Emerald, Mercury, Roman, and the like. She wondered briefly if Weiss and Blake still thought of her as an enemy. What Cinder wasn't expecting, was for that rhetorical question to cause a slight throbbing inside her chest.

"What's it like?" Weiss suddenly asked, drawing Cinder's attention to her. "In the Time Chamber, that is. I've been wondering," The girl raised an eyebrow at the question, while also allowing her arms to fall back into the spa and rest easy at her sides. Memories of her stay in the Room of Spirit and Time were often a blur. Days were never clear, and time became as fluid as the sand falling down the hourglasses.

"Difficult to put into words," Cinder started. She allowed her eyes to wander as she lost herself in thought. Everything that Kami or Mr. Popo had said would happen in there, did happen. The gravity got heavier the further they went out. The temperatures dropped and increased like some teenage girl's mood swings. "Think of it as the worst kind of Hell you can experience. If you don't take your training seriously, you will probably lose your life there… in fact, I guarantee it," Cinder finished. Weiss couldn't help but widen her eyes at the seriousness of Cinder's tone.

"You're not kidding…"

"No, she's not," Pyrrha added. Weiss turned to face Pyrrha, who wore an expression of concern on her face. "There were times where we weren't sure if we would make it. If we didn't have aura… we would have died many times over."

"A word of warning for when you go in," Cinder said, looking at both Blake and Weiss seriously. "Don't venture out too far. The gravity increase is nothing to joke about. Pyrrha and I almost found ourselves flattened at one point earlier in our training. We had to crawl back to a safer area where we were powerful enough to stand up straight," the woman warned. Weiss and Blake shared a hesitant look of worry and anticipation. Once Ruby and Piccolo were done, it should really be them going in next unless Gohan and Yang came back. However, that didn't seem likely to happen, seeing as Trunks had said that Gohan and Yang were visiting his mother.

"Thanks for the warning," Blake replied in a monotone voice, forcing herself to her feet. She stretched a bit as she got out of the spa.

"Where are you going?" Weiss questioned, perplexed.

"Water is starting to go to my head. If I stay in there any longer I'll fall asleep," she explained, grabbing her towel from the nearby rack. Pyrrha nodded, starting to get up herself, leaving both Cinder and Weiss in the water.

"I might go see what the other attractions are here," Pyrrha stated with a small smile. "I see a few slides that might be fun."

"I'll join you," Blake responded. The two girls had grabbed their towels and exited the spa area before Weiss or Cinder could say something. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two women as the sat in the spa together. Both of them were locked in each other's gaze, almost unable to look away.

"Just us two, it seems," Cinder commented after about a minute of silence. Weiss wanted to respond but felt there was a sudden need to be cautious without Pyrrha around. It was plain as day that Cinder was much more tolerable when the Mistral prodigy was around to keep her grounded. However, that wasn't what really worried Weiss at this moment. Cinder had just started talking, it had suddenly occurred to Weiss that she was sitting in the same spa, alone, with the other half of the Fall Maiden. When she had been training with Qrow, he had vehemently warned her to never fight Cinder alone. Never give this woman the opportunity to steal the other half of the Fall Maiden's powers. "Do you perhaps want to get to know each other?"

Weiss had opened her mouth to say something, but her voice died in her throat. She wasn't particularly scared of Cinder anymore. She knew that if Cinder did anything to harm her now, every single one of her friends would be after Cinder's head. The fiery woman was incredibly intelligent if Weiss's observations were correct. The way she carried herself and the way she talked. It all pointed to the girl across from her being a strategic thinker.

"Cat got your tongue?" Cinder quipped after another few moments of silence. The Red Queen wore a smirk on her face, almost a sultry look. "I didn't take you for the shy type. Without your cat friend and our mutual redhead here, you don't feel safe, do you?"

"Forgive me if that's the conclusion I've come to," Weiss responded curtly. "I've been warned by Qrow to never trust you and to never confront you alone."

"Wise words from an ...unimpressive man," Cinder finished with a light laugh. She lifted her hand from the steaming water, curling her fingers in the process. Fire sizzled to life in her hand, controlled and calm. Her fingers caressed the flame as if it were a precious, fragile entity. "It seems fate has brought us together again. I had told Ozpin before that you can never keep two halves of one being separated forever. Just like I said, here we are."

"If you think I'm just going to give up this power, you are sadly-"

"No," Cinder shot back sharply. Weiss raised an eyebrow at the quick response. "I'm not asking for the other half of the Fall Maiden's abilities. Nor do I wish to rob it from you. Over a year ago I would have jumped at the chance, but as I said on the Lookout earlier today, things change… people change," the raven-haired girl finished, extinguishing the fire in her palm. Weiss found herself perplexed by Cinder's mindset. What did she want, and why did she feel such foreboding when talking to this woman alone?

"Then what do you want?" Weiss asked simply, a calmer tone to her voice. Cinder chuckled as she pointed to her chest.

"I was merely commenting on the irony of what I had said to Ozpin. He was so intent on keeping us apart, but here we are…" Cinder trailed off, sighing deeply. She allowed herself a few seconds of silence to contemplate Weiss' question. "What do I want? Hm, I'm honestly not sure anymore."

Weiss remained silent, waiting for an answer that would satisfy her curiosity and hopefully clear the murky air of mystery that she still saw around Cinder.

"Maybe it's to live without the constant fear of Cell… or being hunted and hated. My dream to claim all the power imaginable has come and gone. I guess right now, all I want is Cell dead."

"Well," Weiss started, a small smile forming. "That's something we can both agree on."

"Indeed," Cinder nodded. "Have you thought about what you want to do after Cell is dealt with? What happens to Remnant once the big scary boogie man is gone? With Salem dead and Grimm roaming around uncontrolled, what do you think is left to do?" the older woman wondered. Weiss raised an eyebrow at her question.

"What do you mean? I haven't exactly… thought about what I would do once Cell is dealt with. I guess I would…" Weiss trailed off, her thoughts descending into a jumbled mess. She hadn't really thought about it before. It didn't seem like the odds were favorable for them to survive a final bout with Cell, so her future wasn't something she was concerned with.

Defeating Cell was the priority. It had to be. They were the only ones with the kind of strength to counter him.

"Can't go back to Beacon, can you?" Cinder commented with an absent tone. Weiss scowled, knowing how Cinder had been partly responsible for its downfall. "Even if you could, why even bother going back to that school? Ozpin is dead and gone, you and all your friends are far too strong to bother with it. Seems like a waste of time if I'm being honest."

"We'll all cross that bridge when we come to it," Weiss replied dismissively. Cinder chuckled lightly at her haste to move onto another topic. Without giving the girl time to protest, the ex-criminal glided across the water and sat next to the ex-heiress. Much too close for the snow-themed girl's liking.

"Maybe find a cute boy, settle down," Cinder almost giggled at the stunned look that Weiss adopted. "If that's your thing. Who knows, maybe you swing the other way."

"Back off," Weiss growled, pushing her away. Cinder feigned hurt, a mockingly sad expression crossing her face.

"I'm just trying to be friendly. Isn't this what girls do?"

"No, and judging from the way you're talking, you are fully aware of that."

"I guess the rumors about you are true," Cinder smirked. "You really are an Ice Queen. All serious and no fun allowed, just like your sister."

"What would you know about my sister?" Weiss snapped angrily. "I'm nothing like her and- hands to yourself!" she hissed, pushing Cinder's hands away from her. "What is wrong with you!? Some kind of animal in heat! Stop trying to touch me!"

"Aw, little Weiss doesn't want to play?"

"No!"

"Uh!" Cinder groaned. "So boring and stuck up. Pyrrha is easier to tease than you are. At least she's somewhat entertaining."

" _So_ sorry I couldn't be your target of entertainment," Weiss replied in a haughty manner. Cinder rolled her eyes. It wasn't like she didn't expect Weiss to be as rigid and close-minded as the rest of her disgusting family was. Cinder had tangoed with Winter once or twice before with the help of Emerald's semblance. It seemed the Schnee's were all business and no pleasure.

"I can't imagine how boring it must have been for your team to deal with someone like you. I _do_ wonder where the nickname Ice Queen came from…?" Cinder wondered, a small smirk forming as Weiss' shoulders jerked at the comment. "Maybe it was Ruby? No… couldn't have been. That girl is too nice for her own good. It had to have been Yang, Blake doesn't seem like the type to make up names."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"You're trying to get under my skin," Weiss accused. Cinder raised an eyebrow.

"Is it working?"

Cinder's amusement in the whole situation was getting to Weiss more than her comments were. She opted to remain silent in the hopes that Cinder would just give up whatever she was trying to do, but apparently, the silent treatment was just more ammunition to the arsenal of the Red Queen's quips. Weiss had to give her some credit. That girl had some way with words that she had never heard before.

"My, my," Cinder practically sang. "Silent treatment now? I wasn't aware I was teasing a child."

"It's almost revolting how obnoxious you are," Weiss growled. "I have no idea how Pyrrha puts up with you."

"She didn't push me away for starters," Cinder answered in a surprisingly normal tone. "No matter what comment I threw at her, she shrugged it off and kept on trying with me. I'm grateful really. Without her, I wouldn't be alive right now."

"That sounds like Pyrrha. Just like Ruby, she's too nice for her own good," Weiss noted.

"It's a quality I find both endearing and revolting."

"What do you want, Cinder?" Weiss was starting to get rather aggravated. This woman had to have some kind of agenda. "Why didn't you just follow Pyrrha? Why stay here with me?"

"I'm not some kind of lost puppy, Schnee," Cinder snapped in her defense. "I spent an entire year with her. Perhaps I want some space apart? Maybe I just want to get to know someone else. "

"That someone else just so happens to be the other half of the Fall Maiden-" Weiss muttered softly, however, Cinder had heard clearly. In a sudden fit of anger, Cinder rounded on Weiss, pushing her body directly onto the Schnee's, removing any personal space between the two.

The snow-themed girl's back was against the edge of the spa, with Cinder pushing directly against her. The fury in the woman's amber eyes was almost palpable. Fear gripped Weiss' being as the corners of Cinder's eyes started to flicker with magical power. She was forced into a submissive position with no real way to fight back.

Cinder had trained in the Time Chamber, while she had yet to have her own turn. Their levels of strength were worlds apart

"You think me some kind of… of… power crazed slut!?" Cinder hissed. "If I hadn't changed at all, I'd have slit your throat and allowed you to bleed to death into this damn spa! The only reason you still live is that you… you…!" Cinder's voice trailed off as she saw the terrified look on Weiss' features. Cinder hadn't even realized she had pinned the girl to the edge of the spa.

She could feel Weiss' increased heartbeat through her chest.

Silence reigned over the spa, the sound of running water was even more evident than before.

Moments passed and Cinder released her hold over Weiss, gliding back through the water to sit opposite of the girl she had just assaulted, all while avoiding eye contact with her. Weiss just stared at the girl, shock, confusion, and curiosity plaguing her. Why did Cinder suddenly look so troubled and hurt? For all her bravado and arrogance, seeing her like this was…

Unnerving.

"Sooo…" Weiss started, breaking the silence. "Are you going to explain what just happened there? Or are you going to force me to ask?"

"I'm sorry."

"Wow," Weiss breathed. Not in a million years did she ever think she'd hear those words come out of Cinder's mouth. She had always thought that people like Cinder would rather die than admit fault, or apologize. "Given the sincerity of your tone, I'm going to assume you actually meant that."

Cinder said nothing, forcing Weiss to softly sigh and roll her eyes.

Now it was her turn to confront Cinder.

Closing the distance, Weiss sat next to the girl, who seemed to be intently staring down at the water. Weiss hesitated slightly, seeing as she had literally never done this to anyone before, but… slowly she lowered her hand onto one of Cinder's, gently. A sign of comfort and trust, a branch Weiss was willing to extend in this very moment.

"I'm not going to mince my words, but I haven't heard goods things about you… from anyone aside from maybe Pyrrha. However, as bizarre as your attempts are, I kind of see what you're trying to do."

"That stupid girl told me I needed to at least try and make friends with some of you," Cinder started, her voice edging hostility, but with no real direction. "I thought I might as well try my luck with you."

"No offense, but your methods are horrible."

"Obviously," Cinder snapped back. "I'm far more used to manipulating people and using them for my own ambitions."

"Well," Weiss coughed awkwardly. "Pyrrha seems to see something in you, so I wouldn't mind giving you a chance. In fact, if you wish… I would, er… like to get to know you, Cinder."

"Are you asking me on a date?" Cinder smirked. Weiss' smile immediately disappeared.

"Don't push it."

Cinder laughed at her expression before allowing her demeanor to lighten. "You can let go of my hand now."

"I'm not holding your hand?" Weiss retorted. The two looked down at the water, lifting both of their hands out of the thermal water. Cinder's right hand had somehow become intertwined with Weiss' left. What was even more shocking, was that neither of them could feel anything. They both seemed to stare at the strange sign of unknown intimacy. "I can't feel my hand."

"Neither can I."

Seconds passed, until both girls opened their mouths to ask the one question that was on their minds.

" **What's going on?** " they both said in unison, shooting to their feet.

A crimson flame engulfed their hands, spreading slowly down their arms. They desperately tried to pull away, but instantly realized that their energy was slowly draining. A blinding white light radiated from where their palms met, and a new sense of terror gripped both of their hearts. Immediately, the girls tried to wrench themselves away from the other.

"What the hell is going on!?" Cinder demanded, panic lacing every word.

"I'm… losing…" Weiss' words had suddenly lost all energy as her body slumped back down into the spa. Cinder panicked, looking around as the magical flame had made it to both their shoulders. Why had Weiss suddenly lost all her energy!? What in the name of sanity was going on!?

The area around her suddenly blurred, a mess of colors blending together as Cinder felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. Was she draining Weiss of her Fall maiden powers? No! She couldn't be! The Grimm that allowed her to do that was destroyed a long time ago!

"W-Weiss," Cinder wheezed. "W-wake… up… you…" Cinder collapsed back into the spa, water washing over her as she sunk beneath the surface, dragging Weiss with her.

Seconds later, Nikos and Belladonna raced back into the spa area, their bodies covered in flaming white auras. They dived into the spa and ripped the two girls apart. The moment they were separated, the pain started to subside. Pyrrha held Cinder in her arms while Blake pulled Weiss out of the spa. Both of the Fall Maiden's were powerless and limp in their friend's arms, as if their energy had been sapped entirely. The color drained from their faces as Pyrrha pulled Cinder out of the spa and deposited the girl on the cold tile floor.

"What happened!?" Blake demanded, looking at Cinder with murderous intentions. "Explain yourself!" she demanded.

"Blake calm down!" Pyrrha shot back.

"Calm down!? She almost killed Weiss! She hardly has any energy left!"

"Cinder's in the same boat! Look!"

Both girls could be compared to lifeless puppets as they sat on the ground, staring into space. Blake growled but forced herself to calm down. She glared at Cinder's powerless and colorless body. The girl had paled considerably and her lively amber eyes had dulled. It was almost like she had the life pulled out of her. Finally, the faunus sighed.

"Okay… okay," she groaned, running a hand through her wet hair. Both she and Pyrrha had been checking out one of the more popular slides when Weiss and Cinder's energies skyrocketed, then dropped considerably. Now both girls didn't look like they were any condition to be answering questions. As if on cue, both of them closed their eyes and passed out, their heads hitting the floor before Pyrrha or Blake could stop them. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I might have an idea."

=/=

* * *

=/=

Her brilliant long hair blew elegantly in an impossible breeze.

Her body was a collage of burns, cuts, and scrapes. She had grown a bit taller and her voice had matured slightly since she had come in here. However much time had passed, it almost felt like she was dead again.

Ruby Rose waited patiently, her eyes closed in a calm manner. She regulated her breathing. This was unlike the training she had received in Otherworld. King Kai, Goku, and Piccolo. They had all taught her the techniques she needed to survive. She learned how to utilize her Ki to a professional standard. She had learned a plethora of ways to fight hand-to-hand. She had figured out how to project her Ki onto an object, which meant she could also use Crescent Rose effectively… although Dust rounds would be practically useless unless her opponent's guard was completely down.

Which in Cell's case would be all but impossible.

Ruby's senses went haywire as she forced her body to move. In a flash of crimson rose petals, she vanished from sight, zipping across the white void at speeds she was sure very few people could follow. A bright flash exploded where she had been standing before. She could feel the force of the blast from where she had fled to, and with enough concentration, she managed to backtrack where the attack had come from. Once she had determined the location from which it had come from, she slipped out of her semblance into a skid. Kicking off into the air, she let her power explode as she closed in on the location.

"Too slow."

Pain erupted in her side as Piccolo appeared to her left, kicking her and nailing her back down to the ground, causing her to tumble across the white void. Once she came to a stop, she growled, slowly pushing her way back to her feet. Despite her aura being supported by her Ki to some extent, Piccolo hit so hard that the damage could be felt through it.

In an attempt to maximize her speed and agility, she had removed most of her clothing. She wore a black tank top and black skin-tight shorts. White bandages looped around her arms and ankles to hide some of the more painful injuries she had suffered, still yet to be healed by her aura.

Her black hair with crimson tips had grown out so long it could almost have beaten Yang's messy style. Time was messing with her body in this place. The only reason she had allowed her hair to grow out so long was that she forgot to manage it, and the other reason being that she… actually kind of enjoyed having longer hair.

She looked more like her mother this way.

Ruby found herself unconsciously gritting her teeth at the thought of her mother.

It was becoming increasingly harder to hide these emotions as she got older. Her younger, fifteen-year-old self had no trouble brushing these sorts of things off and bottling them up. If she was to become a hero like in the fairy tales she had read when she was younger, she was going to have to act like them. Heroes didn't break down in times of need! They rose up to face the monster and win the day!

However, life isn't a fairytale, as she became more aware of as time went on. She was almost seventeen now. Having spent a year inside this chamber had really done a number on her body. She had grown more and started to take on more womanly attributes that she had started to see on Yang, Weiss, and Blake. She was the youngest on the team so it only stood to reason that she would recognize the changes after seeing her teammates grow into them.

As the days passed, she looked more like her mother. Each time she looked in the mirror, Ruby was reminded that despite everything she did, she had failed to save her mother. It had made her angry, incredibly so… but to lose control of your emotions against a foe like Cell, meant certain death.

She couldn't afford to make the same mistakes.

Not like she had done with Penny.

"You're easily distracted," Piccolo noted, landing in front of her. "You've been like this for months now. I can see it behind whatever mask you're trying to use to hide your emotions. Something happened when you returned to Remnant. What was it?"

"It's nothing," Ruby shot back immediately, her tone edging with hostility. Piccolo narrowed his eyes. The girl was hiding something and she was doing a horrible job of concealing it. Through the overhanging crimson tips of her hair, the wise Namekian saw anger and pain reflected in her eyes. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before and all it did was force him to shake his head. It was the same desperate look in Gohan's eyes when they constantly fought with the androids. Every time, more people died and he couldn't do anything about it.

Gohan had, on more than one occasion, drowned in his own despair. Ruby was almost a spitting image of his younger self. Despite being murdered by Cell, she still somehow retained that innocent, pure look that Gohan always had about him when he was younger. Ruby wasn't yet a hardened warrior like his ex-pupil had become.

She still had a lot left to learn if she was going to be able to fight someone like Cell and keep her composure.

"Very well," Piccolo said softly, his tone foreboding and dangerous. Ruby's features took on a more fearful look when the Namekian warrior started to remove his cape and turban. If she was going to keep bottling up her emotions like this, then all it was going to do was explode on the battlefield. She would lose control and end up getting herself killed, and perhaps some others too if she wasn't lucky.

The moment he dropped his turban, he vanished before it hit the ground. Ruby jumped back, slipping into Kaioken just as Piccolo reappeared, throwing a punch directly towards her face. She raised an arm to block it, causing shockwaves to emit from their contact. The seasoned Namekian pushed Ruby back on the defensive. He was ruthless, exploiting every opening he could find. Ruby only managed to block and dodge most of his attacks, but still suffered damage when he broke through her guard.

" _Too fast!_ " Ruby thought. Then it occurred to her. No… Piccolo wasn't faster… he was just _better_.

A green arm snaked around her ankle and before she knew it, she was tossed across the white void. A barrage of scolding hot energy collided with her body before she even had a chance to steady herself. Each Ki blast exploded on contact, forcing her body to continue tumbling backward. The pain evolved into agony, something she couldn't stand. She couldn't defend against Piccolo when he fought at this level. It was too much and he overwhelmed her at every turn.

But…

If she couldn't rise to this challenge, how was she supposed to fight Cell?

"Makankosappo!" Piccolo roared, his voice echoing across the void. Ruby straightened herself up as she saw the attack coming. Without thinking, she crossed her arms over her chest to form an 'X' as she powered up to a Kaioken times ten.

The beam collided with her body, an attack meant to pierce and kill its target. Ruby didn't manage to block it at all, only deflect it with her body. The moment it hit her arms, the attack ricocheted off her while knocking her to the ground. It had knocked the wind out of her, while also leaving her with serious burns on her arms.

Her body, no longer able to handle the strain of the Kaioken, dropped out of the state. Ruby lay on the ground, her body wracked with pain. Her breathing was labored and her physical form in ruins. Blood started to leak from the corners of her mouth. She wasn't sure if she had just bitten her lip trying to block the attack, or if there was actually some serious internal damage.

" _As if I'm giving up now! I have too much to LOSE!_ " Ruby's determination exploded within her, a storm of fury and willpower surged forward as her silver eyes began to glow dangerously. Piccolo noticed something strange about her special ability this time around. It wasn't draining any energy from him or the environment.

Was it possible there were two uses for her special silver eyes?

As absurd as he found the notion that her eyes held an incredible amount of power, he had to remind himself that different races from all across the galaxy had different abilities, however strange they may be.

Ruby may appear human, but she might as well be an alien compared to the humans on Earth.

" _Let's see what she's capable of when her limits are broken…_ " Piccolo thought, his curiosity piqued.

The corners of Ruby's eyes shone like stars, her energy fluctuating violently. After taking the brunt of most of Piccolo's attacks, she was starting to lose power and stamina tremendously fast. Whatever was happening now, it wasn't affecting how powerful she was or would be. No… this was something else entirely.

Pushing herself to her feet, Ruby stood tall, despite the damage she had sustained. She stared at Piccolo as the world around her started to change colors rapidly. What was happening to her? She couldn't quite make heads or tails of this strange experience. She allowed herself a few moments to think freely about the sudden change in atmosphere. She felt more… relaxed and at peace with herself. Recalling the things Piccolo and Goku taught her, it was important to keep a clear mind.

" _A clear mind…_ " the girl thought. " _My eyes, they're… different. I can feel a burning sensation… and I'm not pulling in any energy,_ " the conclusion confused her. Ruby could feel the familiar sensation in her head, alerting her to the use of her eyes. There was power there, but not enough to ever make a difference.

It aggravated her to no end that Gohan was able to increase his power so much through a single transformation, along with Goku. She was sure most others felt the same way.

They were a warrior race after all. They were _born_ to fight.

" _But…_ " she thought back to what King Kai had told her. Apparently, the ancient Kai had done some research into Remnant while she was dead. The Silver Eyed Warriors. It was a legend spread thin throughout her world. It was just like the fairy tales she had grown up reading. If she was supposed to be one of these Silver Eyed Warriors, then the ability her eyes provided her couldn't just be an energy drain. It couldn't be that vague and unhelpful. No… there had to be more than that.

" _I also come from a line of warriors,_ " she could feel the new sensation in her eyes grow as she allowed her body to undergo whatever evolution it was trying to accomplish. " _I was born to fight, just like them. My destiny IS fighting!_ " her mind roared.

"Ruby!" Piccolo called out, having noticed her relaxed posture. "Ready yourself-" Piccolo had started to warn but stopped when her physical appearance blurred. The Namekian's hardened senses demanded that he turn and block the incoming attack. Ruby had somehow appeared behind him without him even seeing her move! Blocking her attack with ease, he pushed her off, only to see her body blur again, her silver eyes gleaming as she moved.

" _Her speed has increased! Her power still diminishes, but… she's changed!"_ Piccolo powered up as he was pushed onto the defensive. Ruby's movements were faster and more unpredictable than they had ever been. Her body was moving, but at the same time, Piccolo could tell she was doing it instinctively rather than planning out her attacks.

Still, her attacks lacked the power to do any real damage without Kaioken. If she were to find an opening, however, that would prove to be a different story.

 _Faster_.

Going on the offensive now, Ruby was starting to figure out what was happening. She had been using an incomplete version of her Silver Eyes up until now.

Piccolo fired a Ki blast at her as she appeared on the battlefield. She simply shut her eyes and allowed the blast to hit her. The moment it connected, she absorbed it with ease. The energy fired replenished a small portion of her stamina and energy. It was a rather simple concept to understand now.

Her mind was open and clear, nothing but the fight remained. Her silver eyes could absorb any incoming energy attacks, or energy from the environment around her, all to supply this new state of being.

She could predict and see everything clearly. Nothing Piccolo could do now would catch her off guard. No matter how strong he became or how fast he moved, she would be able to see it. It was as if she could slow down time itself to allow her mind to catch up. The only downside to this strange evolution was that it was draining her energy quickly and hurting her already crippled stamina. However, that came as no surprise.

It all made sense now.

The first stage of her silver eyes allowed her to absorb energy… while this new second stage allowed her to almost perfectly predict and react to almost any attack. As long as her opponent was discharging energy for her to absorb, she could keep this transformation up consistently.

While she could also absorb Ki from the world around her, it wouldn't be enough to sustain the heavy requirements of this new form. There were trade-offs to this new discovery it seemed, but if she could master this state… maybe it wouldn't be so draining.

Not like there was much Ki to absorb from a void like this place anyway.

Tilting her head to the side, she narrowly dodged Piccolo's outstretched fist, as he appeared in front of her. She had done it with so much ease it actually shocked the Namekian warrior. Ruby thrust her palm into her mentor's chest with such speed, it winded him and pushed him away. He landed on his feet, but not without his own injury from the counter-attack. He barely had enough time to recover as Ruby flashed to his side, crimson rose petals left behind her in her wake.

Not only had this new transformation given her incredible prediction and observation, but it had also boosted her initial semblance speed to a godly degree. It was speed Piccolo wasn't sure he could follow without his full power! Ruby was so specialized in speed, it actually shocked him how fast she was able to go when pushed beyond her limitations!

" _I'm faster than I've ever been!_ " Ruby thought, determined to win this spar. " _It doesn't matter if my initial attacks aren't powerful enough to break through your guard! I can exploit every opening you have and cripple you where it matters!_ " Ruby flashed around Piccolo at speeds impossible to follow. She attacked from every angle that Piccolo had left open. Front, back, lower torso, and head… all in the space of a _single second_.

"Enough games!" Piccolo growled, falling to his knees. After a few moments, his energy exploding, throwing Ruby's smaller body back as she was going in for a final attack. "FULL POWER!"

" _This is it!_ " Ruby roared internally.

She landed swiftly, vanishing with her speed. Piccolo did the same, following her movements much more easily than he had been before. Both fighters were moving with such intensity she doubted any of her teammates would be able to see them. Displacements in the air emitted earth shattering shockwaves as mentor and student collided countless times.

The Room of Spirit and Time turned into a blazing inferno from all the energy being thrown around. Ruby absorbed every energy attack that Piccolo tried to throw at her. No matter whether or not she was looking, the attack was automatically absorbed without her having to think about it.

The Namekian seemed to understand this after the first few tries trying to catch her off-guard. She was impossible to hit with energy attacks. Overloading her body wouldn't do any good either as the transformation she was utilizing was burning more energy and stamina than he could output for her to absorb. As the fight went on, every punch and kick got stronger from her end. Piccolo had her outmatched in terms of raw power, but he had a lot of trouble actually landing attacks.

All it would take was a couple of hits from him and the fight would be as good as done. However, he couldn't attack what he couldn't touch.

" _Go, Ruby Rose!_ " she told herself. " _Finish this now!_ "

"KAIOKEN TIMES TWENTY!"

Pain exploded on Piccolo's right cheek as he found himself torpedoed towards the ground. All he saw was Ruby's outstretched fist, her body coated in an angry silver glow, with a flaming crimson aura. Her eyes burning, bright silver lights streaming down her face. Obviously tears from the amount of pain and strain her body was put under. The moment he hit the ground, he managed to push himself up after a few seconds of contemplation. Looking back up into the blank void's sky, he saw Ruby Rose, panting and out of power.

The burning glow of her silver eyes had vanished, replaced with a few streaks of blood that leaked from the bottoms of her eyes. She was looking down at him with hopeful eyes, trying to believe that she had won this little bout they had. He was impressed with her progress since they had come in here. She had far since surpassed any of the humans he knew and was well on her way to becoming the warrior she desperately wanted to become. She placed all her strength and efforts into that last attack.

All it did was graze him and slightly wind him. Her potential to do all of that with only two years of training was _astounding_. He had trained all his life, and for what felt like an eternity in the Otherworld with Goku. Now here was this human girl from a strange planet with incredible potential, managing to not only land a hit on him while he was using his full power but actually doing some damage to him in the process.

"Well done, Ruby," Piccolo praised as she touched down on the ground a few meters away from him. She was out of breath and out of power for the most part. Her disheveled look was more than enough evidence to Piccolo that if he were to so much as flick her head, she'd probably fall over and pass out. "I don't say this lightly, but you've surpassed my expectations. Despite myself using my full power in those few moments, you were able to keep up with me, and land an attack."

"T-That was… all of my… power," Ruby wheezed, clearly showing her exhaustion.

"I wasn't expecting you to surpass your limits again, and that transformation you used is something we are going to have to work on. From that small bout, I've gathered a lot of information about that state. For the incredible advantages it provides you, it relies too much on your enemy expending their energy for you to absorb," the Namekian explained. Ruby nodded, having understood the downsides to that transformation. She couldn't believe she had discovered something so amazing!

One step closer to saving Remnant!

One more step closer to beating Cell!

"I'll let you rest, but we will begin a few hours from now. With this new discovery, there is much to be done."

Ruby nodded, laughing weakly in the process. As Piccolo declared that the fight was over, she promptly fell on her back and went to sleep right then and there…

Much to her mentor's ire.

* * *

A/N:

 **Right! So that about wraps up that chapter. I'm sure most of you a getting sick of the rinse and repeat training sequences which is why I've only been working with one scene per pair in the Time Chamber. I show progression, new techniques, transformations, etc.**

 **I'm going to get the ball moving pretty soon, within the next chapter or two, so look forward to that. I'm trying to take my time and really piece together this final arc of the story so I can give this story the ending it deserves. With that being said, I hope you guys are looking forward to it. It's been a long, wild ride.**

 **I've had a few requests to do allow someone to do a reading of this story, as well as Pride of Four. I'm not too fussed about it to be quite honest. It's not like I can stop anyone if they tried, given how this website doesn't exactly moderate all that well. If you know someone who's good at it and would want to give it a shot, I won't complain.**

 **That's all for now guys!**

 **Adios!**


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